Be My Queen
by Beyond Flight
Summary: Shirosaki has always wondered what it would be like to feel love...
1. Chapter 1

**_Prologue_**

* * *

Shirosaki never understood why the King chose to be with that girl.

As far as he could tell, she was too quiet, too submissive, and too passive. Despite her figure, she was not an object of interest, and any lust he once had for her was short-lived.

So everyday, as he peered through the crack in the sky, and saw that girl approach him, with her long mane of auburn hair and blank grey eyes, he'd ask the king.

"Why do you keep her around?'

And each day, he'd hear the king's voice echo back at him.

"Love."

Shirosaki in turn, would take this moment to spit on one of the buildings around him in disgust. Is this what he chose to call love? Because to him, it only looked like pity.

What was this notion, this idea? This...love?

If he held out his hands, would he touch love, smooth and silken? If he looked hard enough, would he see love, dancing around him, laughing in the night? If he stuck out his tongue, would he taste it? How would it taste? Bittersweet? Rich? Creamy? Sour? Spicy? Fruity?

Shirosaki wondered what would happen if he found a way to slice that girl's body into long thin strips.

Would there be love splattered on the ground?

Shirosaki then recalled what the King had said, when he had first posed his question.

"Love is not something to hear, to smell or to taste. It isn't corporeal to hold, or to see. It can only be felt."

So he held his tongue and waited.

He waited to feel love.

* * *

It had been years since the Winter War had passed. But to Ichigo, it still seemed all too recent. Too much had changed, and too quickly.

Despite their best attempts to avoid accidents, people were hurt. And then some were killed.

Tatsuki was one of them.

Since the rest of the city was not to know about the presence of Shinigami, mind wipes needed to be done. To make them all forget that she had even existed. Ichigo could recall that exact moment, finding out that she had died, and feeling the tears rush to his face. They flooded down his cheeks, leaving salty streaks on his face. He had thought that by not letting her get involved with his other life as a shinigami, she would be spared. It was too late, by then.

Rukia and Renji were one of the few who stayed behind to do the mind wipes. To erase any trace of her existence, completely.

But even they were unable to stay for long.

With Soul Society attempting to cut off its ties from the real world, to prevent incidents like this from reoccurring, the powers that were given to him, to Orihime, and to Chad had to be sealed off. And since Ishida had lost his powers during the war, he was simply forbidden to regain them. Rukia and Renji were forced to depart without notice, and so, Ichigo was told to simply forget. Forget Soul Society. Forget Shinigami. Forget and move on with his life.

If only he could.

After seeing Orihime so ravaged by the loss of her best friend, Ichigo finally decided to return her advances. He wanted to prove to himself that there could be something beyond the war. Eventually, their High School dates turned into something more, even as Ichigo and his friends left school and went on their own individual paths. So last year, he proposed, and she accepted. In two months, they would be married.

It was what he wanted. Wasn't it?

* * *

**A/N:** **I had this sudden urge to write something angsty and with some Shirosaki to contrast the fluff that I'm currently working on (The Isshin Squad). The introduction is a little short, yes, but it does get longer later on. Anyway, tell me what you think. Reviews are muchly appreciated :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to Mappadouji, jazzpha, Melitza, Kyra Windwood, elvivo and Wallflowerxi for the splendid reviews **

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

Orihime giggled as she wrapped her arms around her fiancé and pulled him towards her, deeply inhaling his familiar musky scent.

_He still smells like my Kurosaki-kun. _She thought, slowly letting out her breath in one long, deep hiss. Orihime drew back and smiled. "So how was your day?" She inquired, twirling a finger in the man's tufts of ginger hair. "Anything exciting happen?"

Ichigo's amber eyes crinkled around the edges, as he chuckled softly. "Being a teacher isn't really as exciting as it seems, you know." he replied, allowing her fingers to lace through his own as they continued to walk down the dimly lit street. Aside from the occasional passing car, the road was otherwise unoccupied, to Orihime's delight._ It's just the two of us now_. She thought to herself.

"What are you talking about?" Orihime replied eagerly. "Schools are very exciting!" Orihime began to list off reasons on her free hand. "Let's see. There's the students, and the yummy lunches, and the teacher's lounge, not to mention the secret robots they keep to experiment on students-" She suppressed a grin as she watched as Ichigo's face contorted into different expressions. Although most of the time, his face was stuck in some form of a scowl, occasionally, if she looked hard enough, she would manage to catch his thin lips twitching upwards for the briefest moment. Someday, she hoped, she would be able to catch every single one of the reactions on his face, and know them all. She glanced quickly at the golden band around her finger, set with one shimmering red Spesssartine garnet in the center. At least now she'd have all the time in the world to get to know her Kurosaki-kun.

--

"You seem distracted." Ichigo remarked. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No, it's nothing. I'm just a little nervous about this dinner party we're going to. It seems so fancy!" Answered Orihime, hoping the blanket of darkness outside would conceal her creeping blush.

"I wouldn't worry about it. If Ishida's throwing it, then it might be a little fancy, but I doubt it'll be that bad." Said Ichigo. "Although," he continued teasingly, "I doubt there will be any red bean paste there."

"Oh." Orihime frowned. "You're probably right." She realised Ichigo was looking at her rather expectantly, as if he was expecting her to reply differently. Orihime couldn't help but wonder if it was another one of those jokes that Ichigo had with..._her_.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Ichigo gave her a worried look. "You seem a little depressed."

She shook her head quickly, attempting to remove any thoughts of the woman from her mind. _The past is in the past! _She scolded herself, disappointed for allowing such ideas to slip into her mind like that when it would only worry Kurosaki-kun. Orihime sighed and feigned a shiver. "I'm just a little cold."

Ichigo smirked. "You could have just told me earlier." He stated, taking off his long grey jacket and wrapping it around her arms.

Orihime smiled as she gripped the frayed edges and tugged them towards her well endowed body. Sure, they may have been close at one point, but it was her, not Rukia, that was getting married. Allowing this thought to comfort her, she walked in silence with Ichigo, as the pair made their way to Ishida's home.

"Hey Ishida-kun!"

Orihime slipped off her fur lined pair of brown boots, and begrudgingly removed Ichigo's jacket, wishing that the smell would linger a moment longer. She hastily brushed off her white satin top and leaned in to give the bespeckled Quincy a hug.

"Nice place you got here Ishida." Commented Ichigo, before he too, removed his sneakers and placed it on the ground. "I'm guessing this dinner party is an excuse to show it off?"

Orihime stepped back to survey the home. A long hallway at the entrance with polished black tiles soon gave way to a rather spacious looking living room, with mahogany hardwood floors, and a glistening 3-tier chandelier which hung overhead. Elongated sofas in various shades of black and white nestled around a sleek glass table with chrome accents, and large canvas paintings lined the surrounding walls. A contemporary looking fireplace blazed merrily to the side, occasionally making crackling noises. It all seemed very...Ishida.

Ishida pushed up his glasses and smirked.

"Like you'd ever see me trying to impress the likes of you, Kurosaki. This is simply a get together with people, including some who I've unfortunately, haven't managed to keep contact with for a while. You know, for old times sake. "

_Old times sake...Before the winter war... _Thought Orihime. She snuck a glance at Ichigo, whose face had suddenly become solemn.

"How did you manage to afford this?" Asked Orihime, attempting to divert the subject. She hated seeing Ichigo upset.

"Yeah, it looks expensive. I didn't think you were that well off, Ishida.' Ichigo voiced, looking somewhat grateful for the topic change.

"It was a university graduation gift from my father.' Ishida replied offhandedly. "Anyway, why don't you guys go ahead and talk to the others for a bit. Dinner will be served shortly."

"Sure!" Said Orihime, heading towards the living room. She suddenly paused, her arm against the entrance. "Wait." She added thoughtfully."Are we going to be eating any red bean paste?"

* * *

Ichigo shovelled another forkful of rice down his throat.

"Mmmph! Mis zis good!" He raved, his mouth crammed with an assortment of meats, vegetables, and savoury treats.

Ishida only glanced at him with distaste, before consuming a bite of his own.

"I see your manners haven't changed, Kurosaki."

"Muts that wupposed zu mean?" Ichigo countered, stuffing a piece of chicken in his mouth.

Ishida sighed. "Maybe it would be a good idea to swallow before you talk."

"Moh." Ichigo swallowed.

Silence fell upon the group, aside from the clinks of cutlery on silverware. Orihime gave a nervous smile, uneased by the lull in conversation.

"So, Sado-kun!" She began, attempting to form a conversation. "I heard that you got a job as a firefighter. How is that?"

"Good." Sado mumbled as a reply.

"Must be pretty exciting, huh?" She pressed, her gaze briefly flickering to Ichigo, who had his fingers against his temples as he kneaded them slowly.

"It's pretty exciting." Sado answered, helping himself to another portion of chicken breast.

Orihime heard Ichigo groan softly, diverting her attention.

"Bathroom." He grunted finally, getting out of his chair.

"First door on your right." Replied Ishida.

"Are you okay?" Inquired Orihime, a notably concerned expression upon her face. "Do you need some water?"

"Nah, I'm fine." Persuaded Ichigo. He forced a smile onto his face. "I'll be back soon."

"Okay." She murmured, returning to her meal.

* * *

"Can't you just leave me alone for once?" Hissed Ichigo, as he slammed the door behind him. It was hard enough to eat, much less think, when his hollow had been incessantly chatting away, murmuring snide comments.

"Sorry King, can't help it. I'm a little bored, ya see." Said Shirosaki, in mock apology. He twirled his fingers and bowed deeply. "Happy now?" He inquired, in a jeering manner.

"No, I'm not happy." Responded Ichigo, switching on the sink faucet. A gurgling stream of cold water shot out the metal pipe and down the drain. He cupped his hands, splashing it on his face. He loosened the knob for cold water. It really wasn't cold enough. But then again, would it ever be cold enough to drown out his infernal inner hollow?

"If you wanted me to be happy, then you would shut up and leave me alone!" He barked, frustrated.

"Well, I can't always just live for you, Ichigo." Stated Shirosaki, as he paced the interiors of his host's mind. "Now that you got your powers sealed off, what's the point of being trapped in here? You only wanted me for fighting. I can't say I see you as the type letting me take over to snack on crumpets and tea, King. Not to mention, you hang around some of the most boring people ever. Sado never talks, Ishida thinks of sewing as fun times, and Inoue is just dull. Couldn't you at least spend your time doing something more interesting? Like, I don't know, ditching that clingy girl and finding someone else to spend your time with?" His fingers wrapped around a piece of rubble on the ground, clenching it tightly in his grasp.

"She's not clingy." Ichigo replied hotly. "She's just..." His sentence trailed off as he struggled to find the right word. He grabbed a fluffy white hand towel, using it to furiously dry his hands. Caring? Concerned? Loving?

Not that she wasn't any of those things, but they failed to describe exactly what he wanted to say. Ichigo sighed, returning the hand towel to its rightful location on a metal shelf by the ivory coloured walls. "Well, you know..." He continued vaguely.

"What is she King? I'm interested now."

"Look!" Ichigo spat, slamming his fists against the granite counter. "Why should I even be having this conversation with you? You're **my** hollow, so shut up and behave! Don't make me-"

"Don't make you what?" Interrupted Shirosaki, as a devilish grin spread from ear to ear. "Believe it or not, Ichigo, the only reason you still have your body is out of mere courtesy for defeating me back when you gained your Vizard powers. However, **I'm** the one who has powers now, not **you, **and I'm afraid I've been getting a little bored lately**.** You should be worried about what I'm going to do to you, King."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Wh-What?" He stammered. "You wouldn't dare-"

There was a sudden knock on the door.

"Are you O.K in there, Kurosaki?" Asked Ishida.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." he answered nervously, reaching again for the towel to wipe his face. As his gaze passed over the gold framed mirror above the sink, Ichigo could have sworn he saw a flash of yellow in his irises.

Crap.

* * *

**A/N: Read and review please :)**

**Constructive criticism is always helpful...Flaming really isn't. And sorry about the IchiHime at the beginning, it couldn't really be avoided.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks to Melitza, Vi, Mappadouji, XxTrinityxX, ashido fan, jazzpha, Fathom-x, Yuki Miyazawa, **

**Also note that I'm sticking to Western Styled Architecture by default.**

**_Chapter 2_**

* * *

The slender figure balanced gracefully on the telephone pole, her knuckles white from gripping the hilt of her zampakutou tightly. The loose strands of her silken black hair swayed in front of her face, a chilling breeze gently caressing the subtle contours of her body.

"It's near." She murmured, as her own lavender eyes raked over the expanse of structures and dwellings before her.

The two similarly dressed men opposite her nodded.

"Its reiatsu is strong." Commented the first, his sharply angled features casting deep shadows over his heavily tattooed visage.

"This only means we'll have to eliminate it all the more quickly." Added the second, the white haori on his back fluttering softly.

Kuchiki Rukia nodded, leaping off the pole elegantly, her feet barely making a thud as they collided with asphalt.

_Who would have guessed I'd be back here again?_

* * *

Ichigo allowed the girl to lean against him as they started to head back towards their apartment.

"Maybe you shouldn't have drunk all of that sake at the party, Orihime." He commented, as he shifted his arms to better support her weight.

"Hic-you think so?" Orihime's glazed eyes looked intently into his own. "I-Hic-thought it would be a good idea, with you-Hic- being all depressed and all." She confessed. "It seemed like a-Hic-good way to liven things up."

Ichigo mentally kicked himself. _Was I really that obvious?_ He thought he had done a good job at keeping his emotions in check after receiving that rather unsettling message halfway through dinner. Stupid hollow, he cursed. Part of him wondered if his hollow would actually be strong enough to be able to do that, while his other, more notably pessimistic side wondered just how long it would take before he was nothing more than a shell. Ichigo attempted to push those thoughts into the back of his mind. There was no point of giving that maniac encouragement.

"Hic!-" He felt Orihime's fingers claw against his shoulder, her nose nudging his ear. "I think I-Hic-got the hiccups." She whispered excitedly, before doubling over in laughter. Her shoulders heaved up and down, her eyes watering as she giggled.

"At least someone's happy." Muttered Ichigo, shrugging his shoulders in an attempt to make her loosen her grip. He was never letting her near large quantities of sake again.

She reluctantly complied, opting instead to loop her arm through his. "Is something-Hic-wrong?'

Ichigo wondered bitterly how she managed to be so perceptive even while she was undoubtedly intoxicated. "No, it's nothing!" he replied hastily. He shifted his head slightly to the left so she wouldn't pick up on the conflicting expression written all over his face.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." He gripped her hand tightly and gave it a squeeze. "There is absolutely nothing to worry about, other than the fact that you might be getting a nasty hangover tomorrow morning." His mouth took on a leaden quality as the lies sprouted out, his lips finding it troublesome to form the deceits he relayed to the girl. But if Orihime noticed it, she paid no heed, as she clasped her fingers around his. _There is nothing to worry about..._

* * *

Ichigo fumbled for his keys, and opened the apartment door.

"Let's get inside, Inoue." He mumbled, kicking off his shoes. He flicked on the lights to reveal a small room with oaken hardwood floors. Two battered green couches and a small T.V comprised one portion of the room, whilst a long section of grey counter-top (doubling as a table) sectioned off the area leading to the modest but functional kitchen. A hallway to the left lead to the shared bedroom and bathroom, lit dimly by a simple overhanging light fixture. It wasn't the greatest place, but at any rate, it was better than living with his Old Man. Especially...with all of the memories there.

Orihime mirrored his movements, removing her own shoes and placing them by the entrance. She gave a deep exhale as she headed towards the bedroom to change. _I can do this. _She thought, in her drunken stupor.

--

"Kurosaki-kun, come here... I have something to show you."

--

Ichigo was rummaging through the fridge, when he heard Orihime address him.

"What is it?" He asked, looking up.

His breath caught in his throat as he saw her clad in a sheer gossamer nightgown. Its neckline dropped dramatically, leaving nothing to the imagination. The hem was elaborate and lacy, with a large slit running up either side. Her hand curled around the doorknob to the bedroom, her expression a mask of pure determination.

"Where'd you get that?" He gasped, feeling his cheeks redden as a blush crept up either side.

"I bought it. An-Anyway, come here, I-I have something to show you..." Stammered Orihime, hating how pathetic she sounded._ Maybe I should have drunk more sake before I tried this? _

Ichigo suddenly caught the implications of Orihime's suggestion and reddened even further, if that was possible.

"I...er...umm..." He mumbled, suddenly feeling very trapped and very uncomfortable with the idea that it was only the two of them in the apartment. "I need to take a shower actually." He dashed to the bathroom, his shoulder bumping against hers in his haste. "Sorry..." Ichigo finished weakly, before shutting the door.

Orihime's vision grew murky as her bloodshot eyes filled with unwept tears. Her hands clutched the fabric of her outfit tightly, as she finally allowed them to fall.

She didn't understand why she cried.

It was merely a trivial scheme, conjured up the same morning. It wasn't like she expected Kurosaki-kun to actually follow through with it. He would have wanted to wait until marriage, she knew.

But...

_If it was Kuchiki-san here instead of me, would you be still saying sorry?_

* * *

The room was silent aside from soft patter of falling droplets of water. Ichigo rubbed his face with his hands, as water beaded down his chin and splattered against the cool acrylic floor of the tub. A thick layer of steam rose upwards, enveloping him like a comforting blanket.

Ichigo grabbed a slick bar of soap and rubbed it against his body. There was something about showers that was just so...relaxing. It was just like a whole different time and place entirely.

Nobody other than you and the water.

No awkward moments. No stressful situations. No annoying Inner Ho-

_"Didja miss me, Ichigo?"_

* * *

"You know, you need to choose some more convenient times to talk to me, besides the when I'm in the bathroom.' Ichigo's grumbling voice replied, echoing throughout the vast space.

Shirosaki cackled, standing among the crumbling infrastructure of Ichigo's mind. "Well, it's the only time I can talk to you without other people around." He pouted. "I miss our one on one talks, don't you?"

"I have better things to do than to talk to idiots like you." Ichigo retorted scathingly.

Shirosaki staggered backwards, as if he had received a blow. "Ouch. That hurt, ya know. I do have feelings. Besides," he added thoughfully,"If I'm an idiot, what do you consider the girl to be?"

Ichigo's aggravated voice responded immediately. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said, King. She isn't the brightest bulb in the lamp, is she? Trying to seduce you like that...not really the best way to go about it." Shirosaki tousled his silvery-white hair, a smirk playing about on his face. "Then again, it might just be your fault. Too afraid to go get some action, King?"

"That's none of your business."

"Did you already forget my little proposition, King?" Asked Shirosaki, his smirk now contorted into his characteristic broad grin. "And here I was thinking that I had finally managed to get under your skin, the way you kept bringing it back up. I don't kid, King. I always keep my promises. I'll make it my business if I have to. I'm sure Inoue-san wouldn't mind..."

Shirosaki allowed the remainder of his sentence to trail off, to let Ichigo get the gist before he continued. "Ya know, back in the old days, the barrier between us used to be so much stronger. It really did take a bit of effort to take over. But now, I can't say it's really all that difficult. What made you weak, King?"

"My powers were sealed. You know that."

"_Sealed_. Not taken." Reminded Shirosaki. "Haven't you ever wondered why Zangetsu stopped talking?"

"He's gone, hollow."

"He's not gone, you know. He's just mine now." Shirosaki clarified, glancing at the black and white zampakutou sheathed on his back. "He was never too happy about it, but at least he knows that with me, it isn't going to rain. At least I'm still out there, fighting hollows."

Shirosaki laughed bitterly as he noticed Ichigo's eyes slowly widening.

"Haven't you noticed, King?" The lack of Hollows around here when there's never any Shinigami reiatsu? I highly doubt they were sealing it just for your benefit, King." Shirosaki frowned, his words laced with malice. "Or have you lost that ability too, to sense Hollows and Shinigami? You're fucking pathetic, King!"

Shirosaki's eyes narrowed into thin slits. "I don't understand you humans, with your love this, and boring girl that. _Is this what love really is, King? Does love mean giving up? Does love mean letting it rain inside you for every single fucking day? If this is love, then I don't like it! Ever since that girl came into our lives, ever since love came into our lives, it's rained!"_

Shirosaki let go of the fistfuls of hair in his hands and continued softly, his voice nothing more than a mere whisper. _"Zangetsu wasn't the only one who didn't like the rain, King."_

* * *

**A/N: Please Review. Like I mentioned before, Constructive Critiscism is a plus, but flaming really doesn't help me all that much. So if you're going to insult me, at least offer some advice while you're at it. **


	4. Chapter 4

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own bleach, otherwise we would have been seeing a lot more HichiRuki by now.

A/N: Shout-outs to Fathom-x, Mappadouji, Jazzpha, SweetestChick, Vi, Wallflowerxiii, littlesnowfaerie2005, Kyra Windwood and Ulquiorra for the helpful reviews :)

**Thanks to Fathom-x for pointing out the sectional bit. I am going to (-gulps-) _attempt_ to avoid that. **

***This chapter was edited slightly to avoid too many sectionals.**

**_Chapter 3

* * *

_**

The thoughts tugged at him, pestering him like flies around rotting meat. He attempted to ignore them entering the unlit bedroom, a terry cloth robe wrapped snuggly around his body.

_Inoue...and now this._

Ichigo glanced at the digital clock perched on top of the mahogany nightstand. 12:45 am, the flickering LCD screen read, as he slipped on his faded pair of royal blue pyjamas_._She's already asleep, he thought, spotting Orihime's softly snoring figure on the other side of the bed. Her sleek auburn hair was splayed in all directions, her hands curled around a monogrammed white pillow. Ichigo felt a pang of guilt as he noticed the dark wet stains on the cotton fabric.

_It's my fault she cried. _

He slid under the covers of the queen sized bed, his eyes lingering momentarily on her figure. He should have known better than to act like that. She was fragile. Maybe she would understand, if he explained.

Ichigo sighed, closing his eyes, allowing slumber to overcome his consciousness. He would deal with it tomorrow.

_As one pair of eyes closed..._

_--_

_Another pair opened._

* * *

_Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-_

Rukia pulled her Spirit Phone out from the folds of her hakama and flipped it open. It had been a late night, and so far there had been no signs of the reiatsu they were looking for. But maybe...

"Looks like a hollow...No wait, two. They don't seem to be very strong however, so I don't think they have any real significance to us." She turned to her brother Byakuya, who stood impassively beside her, his expression unchanging as he digested the new piece of information. "What should we do?"

"As long as we are here, we will fufill our duties as shinigami." Byakuya replied, his cold gaze directing towards the other two shinigami. "That is our duty."

"But Taicho, what about the mission?" Asked Renji, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"None of us have managed to sense its reiatsu in over an hour, Abarai. Thus, I assume that we do not have any means to continue with the mission at our current state." Byakuya answered dismissively. "I expect you and Rukia to go after the Hollow nearby with the weaker reiatsu. As for myself, I will take care of the other. Understand?"

"Hai!"

* * *

He clenched his hand and unfurled his fingers slowly, noting the strength in each tendon as he did so. It seemed that no matter how many times he took over, he'd still have the same reaction.

**Admiration**. It still awed him that every single cell, every bone, every muscle, every nerve in this body...all served a purpose. They all had thier own individual task, which they all carried out. Just to sustain this one simplistic being.

He slipped out of bed and regarded the girl. Still sleeping. The pungent aroma of ambrosia and vanilla overpowered his senses, traveling quickly through his system. He wrinkled his nose and fought the urge to gag. The smell of her soul really was unappetising. Somehow, she had managed to smell too sweet. A bit like an overripe fruit left to rot.

**Hunger**. He had once toyed with the idea of consuming a portion of the girl's soul, to make the King squirm. But eventually he realised that it wasn't exactly worth it, considering it would be more difficult for him to actually attempt to eat her soul, no matter how much he was tempted. So that was no longer an option.

Noting multiple reiatsus lingering in the air, he flicked his long blue tongue to sample each one. He swirled them around in his mouth, relishing them.

The first was instantly recognisable, with its tart, acidic taste. Hollows, of course.

But the other...? The bouquet was rather sweet and floral, although he could detect some oak overtones. It was oddly familiar, but its flavor couldn't be categorized. He took another taste. This time, he managed to get ahold of the subtle cinnamon spice.

Shinigami. His thin lips curved into a smirk. How...Intriguing.

How..._Tasty_.

His hand twitched, eager to find the Shinigami and grasp their throats tightly. Scenes of rich, warm blood spewing from thier mouths, and of his zampakutou carving out their still beating hearts filled his mind. Shirosaki licked his lips. It all sounded so _yummy_.

Unsheathing Zangetsu from his back, Shirosaki smashed open the bedroom window in his haste, leaving shards of glass all over the carpeted floor. The fragments gleamed brightly, reflecting the rays of moonlight which streamed through the opening.

_Try explaining that to your girl, King, _he thought, before shunpoing outside.

**Bloodlust. **

* * *

"How far do we have to go now?" Huffed Renji, as he shunpoed from rooftop to rooftop.

Rukia flipped open her spirit phone. "Not far, we're almost there." She replied, as she too, shunpoed back and forth from house to house.

She widened her stance and extended her arm, skidding to a stop.

"Here!"

Right on cue, a creature with leathery grey wings and sinewy long limbs soared above them, shrieking demonically. A wolf-like mask with two slots for eyes concealed its face, revealing nothing other than two luminescent yellow pupils. Its olive skin was mottled and flaking, and two large stubs protruded from its back, covered in thick, ashen plumage.

"Looks like I found some Shinigami." It growled triumphantly. "And you all seem so delicious. Could you let me have just one bite?"

Fiery crimson hair streamed behind it as it sped towards them in a dive. There was a clink as bone met steel.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Questioned Renji, effectively paring its attack with his zampakutou. He retaliated quickly, slashing once to the side.

The hollow swooped to the right to dodge, baring its yellowed teeth happily. Its eyes flickered between the two of them, amused.

"Don't worry, I don't mind playing with my food first." It replied, racing towards them.

"Mai, Sode No Shirayuki. Hakuren!"

A beam of frigid ice came directed at the hollow, managing to immobilise its left leg.

"I think you'll find it much more difficult to to evade us now." Stated Rukia, before going in for the kill.

"Really? I doubt that." Replied the Hollow, as it proceeded to pierce its own limb with its sharp canines, tearing the leg from its body. A new one shortly replaced the area of the former limb. "High speed regeneration." It explained with a smile. "You like?"

"You hollows are all the same aren't you," Snarled Renji, whipping his zampakutou over his head. "Never knowing just when to shut up. Howl! Zabimaru!" The sword morphed into a larger, more broader version, with jagged 'teeth'. It flew towards the hollow, extending into sections of sharp blades.

The hollow bunched together its wings, dropping suddenly. "It's a shame that your attack would have been seen from miles away. Otherwise, it just might have hurt me." It gloated as it glided towards them, a dark silhouette in the starless sky.

"Freaking cocky bastard." Commented Renji with a grimace, swinging Zabimaru around for a second attack. It evaded again, much to Renji's disgruntlement.

"Your techniques are useless. All power and no speed. Give up already. I don't think I can resist eating you for a moment longer."

Two black wings erupted out of the spot where there had been mere stubs previously, flapping furiously.

"Don't think you can escape me now..." The hollow hissed, swooping towards them.

It didn't catch the silent exchange which went between Rukia and Renji.

* * *

Shirosaki's heart pounded against his chest vigorously, as he dashed towards the cluster of reiatsu nearby, the tattered edges of his cloak flapping noisily. The feeling of his icy blood racing through his body only seemed to swell his anticipation. It surged through every vein and artery, and Shirosaki imagined that it was egging him on, trying to provoke him to move as fast as it was.

_Faster._

_**Faster**._

**_FASTER._**

The reiatsu spiked, and with it, so did Shirosaki's excitement. It gnawed at his insides like a ravenous caterpillar to a leaf, consuming every remaining aspect of his sanity. There was only desire.

_This battle better not end before I get there, damn it._

A dark shadow flitting though the night sky, he cast a faint silhouette in the clouds above, the only visible trace of him. He felt the reiatsu of the battle beckon him, like a light to a moth.

_Almost...there. _

In seconds, he finally managed to spot a winged hollow streaking towards two shinigami clad in their midnight robes. Although the hollow was after them with an impressive velocity, the two figures barely moved, regarding it expressionlessly. Instead, they both stood in a ready stance, the male in particular keeping his gaze firmly locked on the female shinigami beside him rather than the fast approaching hollow. He wondered if the hollow's ignorance of this was to be his undoing, as he dashed towards them, fully aware that he wouldn't be able to make it in time. At least he'd be getting an A for effort at any rate.

The woman, in particular, was of some interest. She appeared to be weak, with her small stance, porcelain skin, and delicate features. However, the closer he came towards her, the more aware he became of her killing intent. It was stronger than the man's even. This...intrigued him.

_I wonder who or what made her hate us hollows so much._

Her amethyst coloured eyes glimmered brilliantly, although at the moment they were narrowed in concentration.

"Mai, Sode No Shiryuki!" She called, the white ribbon at the end of her zampakutou flowing gracefully. "Tsuki Shiro!"

A white circle appeared beneath her and the other shinigami, and although Shirosaki couldn't really say he generally admired things of beauty, he found himself entranced by the way she leapt to the side, elegantly landing on a tree branch. From his angle, her alabaster skin gleamed, dappled by moonlight.

"Running away?" Asked the Hollow. "I see, now that you've realised my true strength, you quake in fear!"

"Tch. Guess again, Idiot." Groaned the male, pointing towards the circle underneath the hollow. Upon closer observation, Shirosaki realised that the circle was white due to frost. But he didn't see how it held any relevance to the Hollow. The Hollow seemed to agree.

"Is this your idea of fighting back?" The Hollow sneered mockingly. "That pathetic circle can not affect me whilst I am in the sky!'

The male slapped a hand to his forehead in exasperation."Seriously. Shut up man."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken." Said the woman, a rare smile appearing on her face for a fraction of a second. Shirosaki watched as the Hollow was soon engulfed by a pillar of ice which rose to the heavens. It sparkled even under the dark mask of the night, before shattering into twinkling pieces. The female calmly watched the scene, unscathed. The pieces of ice lightly dusted her body, contrasting against the darkness of her robes and hair. Shirosaki smirked. _So she was __beautiful and dangerous, eh?_

"We better head back, Renji. Byakuya just said he sensed the reiatsu."

The male nodded and sheathed his zampakutou, before running off with her.

--

Shirosaki watched the two figures dissipate into the cloak of night, before heading back himself. The first rays of dawn would soon appear, which meant that king would soon awaken. He cursed himself for missing all the action. Yet...

_It looks like I finally found something interesting. _

* * *

**A/N: Tell me what you think. Like i've mentioned before, I generally prefer Constructional Criticism to flames. So at least offer advice if you're going to insult me. **


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: *Sighs* As you're probably able to tell, I'm not going to update as frequently as I did before, in order to get my thoughts all straightened out. Don't worry, I'm continuing all my fics, unless I say so otherwise. Thanks very much to Avaluna, Mr. Biscuit, littlesnowfarie2005, jazzpha, Caomh, Fathom-x, and Wallflowerxii for reviewing.**_

**_And another thank you for Fathom-x for Beta'ing this :)_**

**_Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, there would be loads of HichiRuki in it by now. _**

_**Chapter 4**_

* * *

The first streaks of dawn shot through the dark blue expanse of sky. Birds chirped softly, unaware of the three figures deep in conversation below them. Glistening drops of morning dew graced blades of lush grass and the leaves of thin stemmed flowers, while the burgeoning amounts of sunlight nestled awakening animals in subtle warmth. His voice, indifferent and cold, rang clear in the otherwise deserted park.

"I presume I wasn't the only one who became aware of its reiatsu." Stated Byakuya, in his usual monotone manner.

"Yeah, I felt it too." Renji replied, absentmindedly adjusting the white bandana concealing his forehead. "But it's gone now, so we lost our lead. Tch, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"It felt familiar." Rukia stated slowly, her mouth searching for the right words to utilise. "When Renji and I were fighting the Hollow, I could feel it. And...it was almost as if I had encountered it before-"

"How is that even possible?" Interjected Renji. "We've only been aware of its presence for about two weeks, tops. And I'm pretty sure we've been able to purify all of the hollows we've fought recently."

"That's true...but..."

"Do you believe it has something to do with Kurosaki Ichigo, Rukia? Him and his friends?" Asked Byakuya, voicing her thoughts. Rukia allowed a grateful smile, which Byakuya did not return.

"Maybe."

"Then I'll assign you the task of observing them for me." Byakuya paused, adding as an afterthought. "I know it may be tempting...but try not to contact them. At least, for now."

Rukia smiled weakly. "Of course."

_So close...yet so far._

* * *

The sticky red liquid seeped from his calloused foot as a jagged fragment of glass pierced the outer layer of his skin, as a certain Kurosaki Ichigo tossed and turned in bed.

"Shit!" Yelled Ichigo, his eyelids flying open once the searing pain set in. Tossing aside his bedside covers, he propped the leg onto his lap, using his fingers to pry the piece from flesh. After a minutes worth of hissed curse and failed attempts, the shard finally slid out, encased in his crimson blood.

Ichigo smeared the bubbling, warm mess with his sleeve before placing the sliver of glass on his nightstand.

"Fucking hell." He muttered, visually inspecting the affected area. _Why the hell were there pieces of glass on the bed?_

His gaze fell to the shimmering specks blanketing the bed and carpet, and then upwards to the shattered bedroom window, its edges lined with crusted blood. Ichigo froze.

_No. I'm overreacting. It isn't him. It's probably just...some punk kid who was throwing rocks at the apartment or something. Kids do stupid things like that all the time. _

His better judgement quickly ruled out this scenario, seeing how it didn't explain the blood.

_Maybe...Someone attempted to rob us. _

The sounds of jeering cackles suddenly filled his mind, and Ichigo felt a chill run up his spine.

_It's not related. It has nothing to do with him. He's just trying...to pysch me out. _

There was a rustle beside him, as Orihime arose, yawning. She tossed her long curtain of hair out of her face and rubbed her eyes with a soft groan. Her eyes widened in perturbation, stuck regarding Ichigo's chiseled, slumping figure.

"Kuro...saki...kun?" She murmured softly. Ichigo noted the edge of hurt in her voice, and the memory of last night's events came barrelling back towards him. "Are you m-"

She paused with a gulp, seeming to find it too difficult to finish the remainder of her sentence. She turned, focusing her attention on the shattered window.

"What..."

"Robbery." Explained Ichigo, ignoring the burst of cackles which followed after his statement. "I'm going to go get ready for work, Inoue. If I have time afterwards, I'll try and see if I can get this window fixed. Be careful when you're walking around. There are pieces of glass everywhere."

Orihime nodded, slowly rising to her feet. "I'll go get breakfast ready." She muttered, exiting the room.

For a few moments, Ichigo sat in silence, regarding the glittering flecks of glass scattered across the floor_._

_It couldn't have been__. . . .__ I would have known__. . . . __I could always tell when it took over my body before, couldn't I?_

He kneaded his forehead with his knuckles, exhaling the ragged breath he never realized he was holding.

_It's just a bluff.__ If the hollow took over my body, I would wake. It isn't possible for him to be able to kill hollows without my conscious knowledge._

Ichigo smirked in relief**.** Why _hadn't_ he realized this before? His hollow _was_ definitely the type to play head games, just to mess around with him. And the idea that Zangetsu would ever side with the hollow was ridiculous.

_Zangetsu and I are __still a team.__He would never work with the hollow, I know it. _

Contented by this notion, Ichigo allowed a rare smile to slip upon his face, as he began to get ready for work. Not even the uncomfortable prospect of eating breakfast with Orihime could dim his spirits now.

* * *

Rukia tugged at the edges of her pleated blue skirt with a groan. When she heard she would be observing Ichigo for any behaviour linked to the reiatsu, she had assumed that she would be tailing him, stealthily in shinigami form.

Not clad in an uncomfortable, starchy school uniform, wearing a stuffy disguise, stuck walking to some random school. The air was sticky and humid, and the sun's rays beat relentlessly on her figure. Not only did she feel horrible, she was also pretty confident she looked horrible as well, considering the muffled snickers from the other pedestrians nearby. Other than the sounds of her feet clacking against the concrete pavement, Rukia walked in silence, too unnerved to make a sound.

Her heart beat rapidly against her chest, as she fiddled with the buttons on her freshly ironed blouse.

It had been so many years, since she had seen Ichigo.

_And he won't even be able to __recognize__ me when I meet him._

It had been Renji's idea, of course, for her to play the part of a student, so she would be able to watch Ichigo for long periods of time without suspicion. Somehow, Rukia had a fleeting suspicion his seeing her in short skirts was his ulterior motive. Of course, it required dramatically altering her appearance that Ichigo wouldn't be able to recognize who she was and thereby completely ruin the plan.

The gigai she was currently in was about five feet and seven inches tall as far as height went—a nice change from her 'midget-like' elevation. But to avoid attention, her appearance had to be as inconspicuous as possible, which meant her wide indigo eyes would be exchanged for small brown ones, and her sleek, shoulder length black hair was traded in for tangled mousy brown locks. Her forehead was wide and oily, and a few pimples dotted her cheeks. The distinctive pale whiteness of her skin was now pinkish, fleshy, and beige.

Did she forget to mention her high pitched, shrill voice?

Rukia adjusted the straps of her school bag as she continued to walk in quick, brisk strides. Although she only looked different because of her new gigai, Ichigo would really be different, seeing how he lived in human years.

Would he be taller?

Would he have facial hair?

Does he wear suits, now that he's a teacher?

She had so many questions which pleaded to be answered. But, she had to be glad that she was at least able to learn this much about Ichigo, thanks to Soul Society's Soul tracking system.

_At least we now know where he lives and works, otherwise we wouldn't be able to even do this._

She paused at the entrance.

'_Karakura Senior Institute.'_

Rukia gripped the metal door handle tightly. This is it, she thought, before heading inside.

Keeping note of the plastic classroom markers fastened above each door, she made her way uneasily through the unusually desolate hallways. Finally, one caught her eye.

"Is this Room 1-A?"

A group of students all dressed in similar blue and black outfits loitered the room, chatting amicably. Upon her question however, they paused, eying her warily. Rukia froze. Maybe she was in the wrong place after all.

Suddenly, a boy with choppy black bangs stood up and shook her hand firmly. "You must be Fujioka-san! The exchange student from America, correct?"

"Err...Yes!" She chirped, flashing a smile at the boy.

"You're here a little early." He explained, his emerald eyes crinkling warmly. "Class doesn't start for another fifteen minutes. But you're more than welcome to wait with us until class starts. By the way, my name is Orikasa Takashi, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Rukia smiled faintly. "Thanks." She replied, unsure of whether she ought to drop her bags on the nearest desk, or wait until Ichigo arrived. Her eyes absorbed the surroundings uneasily. The room reminded her so much of those days back when she was as school with Ichigo, what with the similar rows of desks, large windows providing a view of the field, and the well used chalkboard at the front of the classroom, filled with Ichigo's untidy scrawl.

A voice interrupted her thoughts.

"What's it like, moving from a place like America to here?" A girl with long mahogany hair which trailed down her back and curious blue eyes cocked her head inquisitively. "Kurosaki-Sensei told us all about you yesterday, but personally, I'd like to hear the details." She grinned and extended her hand. "My name is Ito Hanata, nice to meet 'cha."

For a moment, Rukia was caught off guard by the girl's statement, but then realized that Ichigo was referring to the person he thought she was...Not herself in particular.

_I doubt he'd want to talk about me anyway, seeing how I left without notice._

"You're a little spacey, aren't 'cha?" Commented Hanata, smirking. She clapped Rukia on the back. "Don't worry, you'll fit right in at Karakura Senior institute."

Hanata nodded to a desk two seats away from where Rukia was standing. "You should probably sit over there. That is, if you want the best view."

"View?"

Hanata smirked, grabbing Rukia's things and dumping them on the desk. "Look, trust me on this one. You'll thank me later."

* * *

**A/N: As usual, tell me what you think. If you're insulting me, try to make it constructive. **


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:Thanks to Jenn, Elvivo, wickedsistah1024, XDD, AvaLuna, Shortchannel4, Mappadouji, jazzpha, and Fathom-x for reviewing.**_

**_Another thank you to Fathom-x for beta'ing :)_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own bleach. Otherwise, we'd be looking at a HichiRuki supernova. _**

_**Chapter 5**_

* * *

Shirosaki muffled a snicker as he heard Ichigo curse another few choice words under his breath. _Nice King....real nice. _

It was another day in Ichigo's inner world and another occasion where Ichigo would be late, yet again, for work. Shirosaki smirked, absentmindedly wiping away the drops of rain which had piled on his luminescent white hair. He looked up at the sky above him, noting the lack of the usual ominous grey thunderclouds.

_Looks like it's only going to be a drizzle today. I guess we're both in a pretty good mood. _

Although the lack of clouds may have interested him at one point, Shirosaki felt his thoughts repeatedly dwelling on another matter. Namely, the two shinigami from last night. It was interesting enough that he was able to sense Shinigami, of course, but it was another matter altogether to see the shinigami. It had been a while since he'd seen any, and it had only been when King had required him for battle. Now, it felt more like a lifetime ago.

It started out as a crack in the sky, as Shirosaki recalled. One simple hairline crack separating his world from the King's. But the crack had spread throughout the blue and white expanse above, its yellow lines dissecting the pale fluffy mounds which hung in midair over the crumbling infrastructure. Although Shirosaki wasn't sure as to the exact reason, it allowed Shirosaki to experience what the King experienced—the sights, the sounds, and the smells.

But the best part was that it was all his, unlike every other possession of Shirosaki's. He just knew that if the King intended to use it, it wouldn't work for him in the same way that it worked for Shirosaki. He would use it well.

_Maybe to even find my mystery shinigami from last night._

* * *

"Shit...I'm ten minutes late!" Grunted Ichigo, as he charged through cluttered hallways, briefcase in tow. Students in the surrounding area immediately leaped out of the way, as the scowling gentleman rushed to his classroom.

One could have assumed that Ichigo would have learned by now to simply wake up earlier, and be on time for once, but Ichigo wasn't the learning type. His method more or less involved doing the same stubborn things over and over again, until everyone else finally learned to accept it, and adapt. This of course, only added to the irony that he, of all people, became a teacher. His eyes frantically scanned the classroom markers, as he hastily rattled them off in his mind.

_2B...2A...1D...1C...1B..._

"Here we go!" Ichigo exclaimed, finally spotting Classroom 1-A at the end of the corridor. With a sigh of relief, he gripped the door handle to the classroom.

_Maybe I might not be that late after all._

The door flung open, revealing 30 pairs of eyes staring at him with conviction.

_Or not._

Luckily for Ichigo, he was more than used to this response, so he ignored it as required and proceeded with his lesson plan.

"Okay, take out your homework from last night, we're going to go over it today." He announced, turning to drop his things with a clatter onto his rather unorganized desk. Ichigo's mouth twitched into a smug grin as he heard the sounds of rustling paper. There were some perks of teaching, namely seeing a group of adolescents who had no choice but to do what he said. Egotistic? Maybe.

Satisfying? That went without saying.

"Kurosaki Sensei!"

Ichigo rounded to see a blue eyed, mahogany haired girl waving her hand excitedly. He narrowed his eyes in exasperation. Ito Hanata.

Unfortunately, for every group of well behaved, teacher obeying students, there was always the one demonic child who seemed to make it his or her ambition to make a teacher's life a living hell. Sure, this one may have looked a little more angelic, with the violet headband she donned each day, and her crooked smile which she no doubt perfected in the mirror, but Ichigo knew her true demeanour. She just happened to be able to pull it off using her good grades as her guise.

"What is it, Ito-san?" He growled. _What the hell does she want now? _"Do you have a problem with your homework?"

"No, I'm fine with the homework." Hanata answered, holding up a sheet of paper in her hands as indication. "But-"

"Good then." Interrupted Ichigo, "Now, does anybody have any questions regarding the first-"

"Kurosaki Sensei!"

Her hand shot up again, waving to and fro. A look that could only be described as a mix between utter determination and constipation was etched onto her face. Ichigo would have found this amusing, if it wasn't for that fact that she was beginning to aggravate his mounting anger.

"Yes, Ito-san?" He questioned, attempting to keep his tone even. _It's only a student. It's no big deal. You don't need to be frustrated. Show her that you're not going to crack. "_Did you have some trouble with the front page then?"

"No, but I think-"

"If you have nothing to say about this homework, I suggest you wait until I'm done, Ito-san." He returned his attention to the remainder of the class. "As I was saying, I'd like to-"

"Kurosaki Sensei!"

Ichigo suppressed a groan. _Let's just get this over with. "_Yes, Ito-san?"

The girl blinked; evidently surprised that Ichigo had given up so easily. Ichigo's mouth twitched ever so slightly upwards. _Heh, just as I thought, she was only attempting to-_

_"_You forgot to introduce Fujioka-san to us." Hanata replied, gesturing to the chestnut haired girl beside her. "She told me it wasn't a big deal an' all, but I think it'd be pretty inconsiderate not to let the rest of the class know about her, don't cha' agree?" Hanata fluttered her eyelashes with a self satisfied smile on her face, clearly relishing her victory over her surprised teacher.

"Oh." Croaked Ichigo, finally noticing the unfamiliar looking girl beside Hanata, who was rolling a Chappy themed pencil between her fingers. He beckoned her to the front of the class, quickly regaining his bearings.

_You may have won this time, but the war isn't over yet, Ito Hanata. _

_"_I'm sorry, Fujioka-san." He apologized, adopting what he hoped was a sincere tone. "Would you like to introduce yourself now?"

The girl strode up to the front of the classroom with a bright smile running from ear to ear. Ichigo could almost feel the sparkles radiating from her body as she spoke, in a sweet, syrupy manner.

"Hello! My name is Fujioka Yumi! It is a pleasure to meet you all, and I hope I will be able to get to know all of you, if only a little bit better." Her eyes drifted towards Ichigo as she spoke, their brown orbs finally locking upon the other's. Her face reddened and she quickly averted her gaze, opting instead to stare at the ground. "That is all." She muttered finally, returning to her desk in a rather meek manner.

Deciding not to probe the student's sudden bout of shyness, Ichigo clasped his hands together, redirecting his attention upon his students. "Okay, now that we've gotten introductions over with, why don't we get started on our evaluations of last night's questions?"

"Hai!"

* * *

Towering trees in shades of jade and olive flanked the clearing in which the girls nestled in. The grumblings of stomachs and the steady buzz of chatter could be heard as students tore into their lunches, a well deserved treat after an exhausting morning of schoolwork. Rukia slowly began to unwrap her own sandwich from its plastic packaging, a meal courtesy of Byakuya Nii-sama's wallet. She absentmindedly listened to her companion Hanata's ramblings, who had seemed to have taken it as her duty to act as Rukia's guide.

"So, what do you think of Karakura Senior Institute so far, Fujioka-san?" Hanata inquired excitedly, the vivid cobalt tones of her eyes glimmering. "Did ya like the view I got for you?" She gave a not so subtle nudge to Rukia in the ribs.

Rukia winced and nodded. "Karakura Senior Institute seems...nice." She took a generous bite out of her sandwich before adding, "And I am grateful that you managed to get me a seat with such good positioning to the board. Thank you, Ito-san."

Hanata clapped her glossed mouth with her free hand in mock astonishment. "I figured you were a keener." She remarked, grinning wryly. "But even I thought you'd be able to realize I was referring to the very fine piece of teacher that we had this morning. "

"K-Kurosaki Sensei?" Sputtered Rukia, choking on a bread crust.

Hanata smiled lazily. "The one and only. " She absorbed Rukia's shocked look with a grimace. "Come on, don't tell me that you haven't realized how good looking he is?"

"Good...Looking?' Murmured Rukia, the words feeling oddly unfamiliar in her mouth. The idea of considering Ichigo in that sort of manner was just strange. Sure, she could understand why other women may have been drawn to him, with his flaming orange hair, his sculpted facial features, and the rather snug black suit he wore which managed to perfectly showcased every well defined muscle there to offer, but Rukia simply was not one of those women.

Looks were fickle and held no value to what a person was really like. When you were out on a battlefield, you could not simply rely on someone due to the fact that they were attractive. When she was a stray in Rukongai, you couldn't simply trust someone who looked nice to make sure you weren't attacked in the night.

Looks were useless, along with the feelings of attraction that generally accompanied them, as Byakuya reminded her over and over again.

"Let me guess. You're going to tell me that you've never been attracted to a teacher before, and ya aren't going to start now." Hanata scoffed, returning Rukia's attention towards the present conversation. "Hah, like I'm going to believe that."

_She's right._

"No. I've never thought about teachers in that sort of manner. Especially not Ich-Kurosaki Sensei." Rukia sputtered, hoping Hanata wouldn't notice how she had been so close to calling him Ichigo.

_What about Kaien-dono?_

_"_Not even a little? I mean, come on. He is absolutely drop dead gorgeous." Hanata replied, with an incredulous expression.

_Kaien dono was different. Kaien- dono was not my teacher. He was my lieutenant. There is a difference. _

_"_No, he's too old for me." Rukia twittered, adding a giggle for good measure.

_Besides, she's talking about Ichigo, not Kaien- dono. _

_"_Are ya sure? He could be your type." Hanata offered. "After all, he absolutely hates me. I bother him all the time and-"

_Ichigo couldn't possibly be my type. He's just a friend. _

It used to be that the first thought that came to mind when she thought of Ichigo had been best friend. But as of nine years ago, Rukia doubted that term could still be applied to their relationship. After all, she had left him, without so much as a warning. They hadn't talked in years.

And even if it wasn't for malicious intentions, a best friend probably wouldn't stoop so low as to spy on the other for reasons like hers.

_If we were still friends, I would have confronted him, no matter what Nii-sama told me. Soul Society's rules or not, I wouldn't be here, sneaking around, like some sort of filth. I would tell him that we suspected him._

So why was she doing this again?

_The only explanation for the reiatsu is his Inner Hollow, now that Aizen and the espada are defeated. Which means that if I confront him about it, the hollow would find out, and who knows what it could do then? Leaving something so dangerous like that with free reign will only endanger us. It has to be done, since this is the only way we can gather conclusive proof. It doesn't matter whether it feels right or wrong. I can't just let something so silly affect my decisio-_

A freshly manicured hand waved inches away from her face.

"Damn, you're spacey." Hanata commented, brushing away dried clumps of dirt from her skirt as she extended a hand. "Anyway, we'd better head back, lunch is over. You coming?"

Rukia accepted the gesture gratefully, pulling herself off the ground. "Sure."

* * *

Shirosaki cursed the fact that he was currently stuck inside Ichigo's inner world, when by now, he was absolutely positive that somewhere, inside this classroom of pimply, hormonal, adolescents was a shinigami. A real shinigami, sitting in this very classroom along with him.

It was fairly easy to tell. That aroma was just so _pungent_...and so _tempting. _It embraced Shirosaki in its delicious scent like a warm blanket, beckoning him to locate the source.

It really was a shame that he couldn't just take over Ichigo's body and fully utilize his reiatsu sensing abilities to find the culprit. Unfortunately, there were too many souls around to witness what would happen. Too many souls acting up and spiking their reiatsu would only attract Soul Society's attention. He didn't want that, now did he?

_But who could it be?_

Shirosaki's eyes briefly raked over the group of teenagers in front of Ichigo, their expressions blank and glazed as they sat impatiently at their desks. Girls hastily scribbled notes to one another, whilst boys stared longingly out windows, most likely wishing that lunch hadn't ended so soon. The culprit of their boredom?

"-For when my outward action doth demonstrate, the native act and figure of my heart, in compliment extern, 'tis not long after, but I will wear my heart upon my sleeve, for daws to peck at: I am not what I am-" Ichigo quoted from the front of the classroom, his head bent slightly as he read aloud from a well worn copy of Othello.

_I wonder if Ichigo noticed it as well._

Shirosaki frowned. Probably not. Ichigo already had horrible reiatsu identification abilities to begin with. He doubted Ichigo would be able to sense the reiatsu, when it was already so faint.

_Maybe the shinigami is hiding its reiatsu. Or maybe it's a newly formed shinigami who doesn't have much powers yet._

Shirosaki dearly hoped that it was the former, not latter. A newly formed shinigami didn't sound like much fun.

You can be my little secret. I don't get too many secrets to hide from the king, so it'd be a nice change, he mused, as he continued to observe the class through the crack in the sky.

His eyes landed upon a girl with wheat coloured hair, immaculate skin, and pursed heart shaped lips who was reading along silently.

_Are you my prize?_

His gaze skipped to a black haired boy with vivid emerald eyes, who seemed to be in a candid discussion with two of his fellow classmates.

_Are you my meal?_

They stopped again upon a smug brown haired girl, whose brilliant cobalt eyes danced excitedly as she elbowed her plain looking friend.

_Are you my toy?_

A sudden flood of Hollow reiatsu stopped his observations, as the acrid stench overpowered any trace of the Shinigami reiatsu. Although normally Shirosaki would have gladly welcomed a hollow or two, it was still day, not night, when he could properly enjoy them.

Besides, there was still that shinigami to find.

_You're lucky I can't just kill you all myself. Some hapless shinigami or something will probably take care of you though. _If_ you want, you could try to stay alive until nightfall, so you can fight me instea-_

Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the faint sound of a ringing cell phone from the new student's breast pocket.

* * *

**A/N: See anything you like? Don't like? Review and tell me. Constructive critcism is preferred over flames, of course. **

***I'm talking to you lurkers as well. I know you're out there* **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks very much to jazzpha, BlueArcticWolf, wickedsistah1024, Shortchannel4, ashido fan, Mappadouji, Littlesnowfaerie2005, SweetestChick, DeviantHollow23, and Avaluna.**

**Another thanks to Le Rukia for reviewing two chapters :D**

**And of course, thanks to Fathom-x for Beta'ing. **

_**Chapter 6**_

* * *

Beads of sweat formed on Rukia's forehead as the phone continued to ring, beeping frantically.

What on earth was she thinking when she brought her spirit phone to school? Rukia had the sudden urge to kick herself in the head for her elementary mistake, as the attention of the class drifted from Ichigo onto her.

"I guess I forgot to turn my phone off this morning!" She chirped, fully aware that Ichigo was now watching her contemplatively. Her hand fumbled for the beeping phone in her shirt, her palms clammy with sweat. Why was this happening to her...and now?

"I better turn it off, before it disrupts the remainder of this lesson!"

She flipped the phone open and snuck a peek at the glowing white screen.

Two black dots, which meant two hollows.

And of course, both of them just happened to be located rather conveniently nearby.

Perfect.

_Should I go after them? Renji and Nii-sama are both on the other side of town, and they probably won't be able to get there in time. But if I go after them..._Rukia looked up at Ichigo, who was still regarding her with a curious, albeit scowling, expression. _Should I risk it? If I don't go, lives could be endangered. But if I do...Ichigo might figure out who I am._

She sighed and raised her hand. "Kurosaki Sensei, may I use the bathroom?"

_It's not like he can detect hollow reiatsu anyway. He probably won't notice. _

* * *

For some reason, when Ichigo heard that phone ring, his body immediately tensed and straightened. His senses had sharpened, become more alert. His muscles had contracted and stiffened, seemingly yearning for him to make his move and follow the chestnut haired girl who had just burst out of his classroom.

Follow her, now. His instincts seemed to cry.

It was almost as if the ringing had flicked some sort of switch in his body, suddenly turning it 'on' when it had been off. Every single muscle, every tissue, every cell seemed to have awakened inside of him, pulsing with anticipation. If he hadn't known better, he'd say the phone served some other purpose, besides simply working as a communication device.

The only explanation he could think of was impossible, but how else could he explain the gut feeling he had to go after the girl?

"Do it."

The statement came more as a command than a suggestion from his white haired counterpart.

"What?" Ichigo replied in a hoarse whisper, turning his back on his students so they wouldn't notice. "This isn't really the best time for one of your little chats."

"I doubt it's really necessary for me to say this again." Shirosaki repeated firmly. "I know you want to follow her as much as I do. Go after her."

"And risk losing my job? No thanks." Ichigo muttered.

"So you _do _want to follow her after all. I guess I was right after all. There is something off about her. You'd better hurry then."

Ichigo's eye twitched slightly. "I can't just go after her, even if there is something suspicious. It's probably just nothing anyway. If they caught me, I'd rather not have to deal with any future pseudo pedophile stories that would come out of it."

"Look, her phone started ringing at the exact same time I sensed a group of hollows. Earlier today, I felt a Shinigami's presence nearby. I doubt it's coincidence, King."

Ichigo wasn't sure whether he ought to be angry or shocked. His jaw tightened as he was filled with the sudden urge to throttle his hollow for not telling him beforehand. But at the same time he wondered....

_Why would a Shinigami be in Karakura Town? What could Soul Society want? I'd understand if it was here to fight a hollow, but if it's pretending to be a student in the classroom...._

"I realize that you're probably having some huge revelation or something along those lines right now, but the girl is getting away. If you're going to have any emotional moments, you better hurry up." Shirosaki demanded, with more than a hint of frustration evident in his tone.

"Right..." Ichigo replied, feeling a little off kilter by the sudden turn of events.

_A shinigami in Karakura town. In this classroom. Why didn't they try to contact me? Is it someone I know?_

"Oi, I'm waiting, King!"

Ichigo turned to his class, who seemed not to notice Ichigo's evident disarray as they gossiped among each other.

_"I wonder why she ran out of the classroom so fast...."_

_"I bet the phone call was from her secret lover_ …."

_"Fujioka-san is probably going to get in trouble for bringing her phone to class...." _Ichigo cleared his throat.

"I am going to leave to have a word with the headmaster. Start working on the communications booklet while I'm gone."

The students continued to twitter, completely ignoring his statement.

"Forget about them. We need to get there fast." Shirosaki urged.

Ichigo nodded in agreement as he exited the room. The hollow was right, for once.

* * *

Rukia pulled out her Chappy Soul Candy Dispenser from the folds of her crisply ironed blouse as she continued to run down the street; The scenery around her became one large blur of muted reds, yellows, greens, and blues in her haste. She checked her spirit phone, her own reiatsu appearing as the blinking orange dot nearing the two black dots on the flickering screen.

_Just a little farther. _

Her legs bounded over a chain link fence, as she finally spotted the two hollows in a baseball field, dust swirling around them from the impact of their movements. The former was large, its scaly skin a blue tinged grey, hands consisting of two pincer-like claws. The latter, however, was small and sinewy, with menacing jagged teeth, and a long whip-like black tail. Their iridescent yellow pupils shone brightly beneath their cracked bone masks, respectfully a beak, and the upper portion of a wolf's face.

"What's this I smell?" Inquired the first, its teeth bared into a mocking grin. "It's so delicious...seems like a shinigami."

The second laughed-an empty, dry, laugh which rang in Rukia's ears. "Come out, Shinigami. Come out to play. You'd mind if I could have one little taste?"

Rukia frowned. _So much for element of surprise_. She popped a soul candy pill into her mouth, the round pill gliding smoothly down her throat as her soul separated from her gigai. She adjusted the white bow fastened around her black hakama before unsheathing her zanpakutō.

"Get back to the school before the others get suspicious, alright?"

"Hai, Rukia-sama." The Mod soul replied with a nod, before sprinting off in the other direction.

Rukia rounded to face the two hollows behind her, her heart fluttering slightly from the familiar thrill of an oncoming battle.

"Mai, Sode no Shirayuki!" She called, twirling the now white zanpakutō in her grasp. Its blade shimmered, gleaming forebodingly.

"Looks like the Shinigami wants to play after all!" Exclaimed the wolf masked hollow. "Good timing. I was beginning to get a little hungry."

It pounced off its hind limbs towards her, jaw open and ready to steal a bite. Rukia smirked, sidestepping the attack., as the hollow collided into the earth beside her.

"You're going to have to do a lot better than that, Hollow." She replied, her hands still twirling Sode No Shirayuki nonchalantly in her hands. "In fact, you may be better off doing an attack a bit more effective, like this!"

Rukia stabbed her zanpakutō into the dusty earth, lifting it again to reveal a ribbon consisting of particles of ice, shimmering and twisting in the air.

"Pretty attacks aren't going to work on us, Shinigami!" The Pincer equipped hollow jeered, charging towards her.

Rukia simply gave a faint smile, as she stabbed Sode no Shirayuki into the ground four more times, revealing four more ribbons of ice. She turned the zanpakutō so that it was horizontal to the ground. "Tsugi no Mai. Hakuren!"

The hollow froze in its place, immobilized by the sudden jet of ice which had suddenly emerged from Rukia's zanpakutō.

Rukia flicked her sword, and watched the hollow shatter into mere fragments of ice, with an indifferent expression.

"Am I your snack now, Hollow?" She questioned the remaining hollow, who was now frozen in place, albeit for a different reason whatsoever.

There was no reply, as its eyes simply widened.

"Are you still going to fight me?" She asked.

Silence.

It grunted, falling to its knees, breaths suddenly becoming ragged and shallow. Its hands gripped the ground tightly, as if letting go would mean imminent death. The hollow choked on another breath, collapsing to the ground in sheer agony.

"What is wrong with you, hollow?" She inquired, bemused.

The hollow simply gasped and grunted, seemingly finding it too difficult to move.

_What's happeni-_

Rukia's question was soon answered as she felt a pulsating reiatsu easily as strong as her own, if not stronger. Although it was powerful, it was not one that could send her to her knees, or leave her gasping for breath due to her accustomed presence around Shinigami captains at Sereitei. She shot a glance at the hollow in a heap behind her. It must have fallen from the reiatsu she was now feeling.

_But who? What?_

Rukia could easily tell this was no reiatsu of a Shinigami, yet it did not feel distinctly like a hollow's either. In fact, it almost seemed like she had encountered it before, although she couldn't remember where.

It took a few moments before her indigo eyes widened, realization finally sinking in.

_Last night. The unusual hollow reiatsu. The mission target. _

As if on cue, its figure slowly began to form off in the distance, first appearing as a small black dot, then as a large grey blob. As it neared in its swaggering gait, she could make out a more detailed version of its appearance; the spiky hair, the grey hakama, and the zanpakutō sheathed on its back. In fact, now that it seemed to be even closer, Rukia found that there was a striking resemblance between this...thing, and someone else she once knew rather well.

Ichigo.

Its golden irises glittered, as he paused to run a hand through his blanched hair, now mere meters away from where Rukia was standing, transfixed. Her body screamed for her to move, to run, to escape, yet she found herself unable to do so. She wondered if it had anything to do with its immense reiatsu that was spilling all over the place. There was a hint of a smile on his face, as if he was satisfied about something.

_But what he could be possibly be satisfied about? _

"Weakling." He muttered disdainfully.

"Wh-"

Rukia did not get a chance to finish her sentence as the being shunpoed towards the hollow sprawled on the ground beside her pitifully.

"Can't even stand my reiatsu, can you? And you call yourself a hollow."

His pale hands reached for the sheathed zanpakutō on its back, drawing it out with relish.

Rukia gasped, as she saw her own reflection cast in the meat cleaver-like black and white zanpakutō as big as the figure itself.

_Zangetsu? _

He hacked away at the hollow, seemingly savouring each stroke, each cut, and each slice. There was a look of pure ecstasy plastered on his distorted expression, a grin running from ear to ear. Finally satisfied with his handiwork, he stabbed the zanpakutō through the hollow's mask, leaving no remnant of the mangled hollow aside from the pools of blood staining the ground.

He then turned to Rukia, the same twisted smile still upon his face.

"Ichigo?" Rukia murmured, her voice shaking slightly.

If it was possible, his smile had grown even wider.

"Guess again." He answered, swinging the zanpakutō towards her neck.

* * *

**A/N: Tell me what you think about it. Review. *Points to lurkers. Yes, you too.***


	8. Chapter 8

_**A big thank you to Kurosaki1232, wickedsistah1024, Angel, Caomh, Shortchannel4, Star Garden, Vi, OBSERVER01, AvaLuna, Mappadouji, Le Rukia, Samebito Ryu, littlesnowfaerie2005, and SwytheAngel for reviewing.**_

**_Another thanks goes to Fathom-x, for being a generally awesome Beta. _**

_**Chapter 7**_

* * *

Orihime leaned forward to read the small font on the glossy pages of the cookbook as she worked alone in the kitchen. It was late in the afternoon by now, so she had decided to cook dinner to occupy herself. An array of pots, pans, and other cookware occupied the majority of the countertop, and a battered cookbook that she had found on the bookshelf was flipped open, the pages covered with smears of food and sticky fingerprints.

"1 cup of shrimp, and a teaspoon of butter." She read aloud to herself. "Well, I don't have any shrimp, or butter."

She frowned thoughtfully, looking down at the bubbling pot of soup she was currently in progress of making. The thick golden concoction gurgled merrily, as a puff of black smoke rose upwards and out the kitchen window. "I guess I'll just have to find something else to use instead. I wouldn't want to waste perfectly good food."

_What to do...what to do..._

Her eyes landed on the pantry, and she grinned excitedly. Wiping her grease stained palms on her green and white checkered apron, Orihime grabbed a can of pickled clams, and a flask of sesame seed oil. "I'm sure it won't be a big deal if I experiment just this once. I'm sure Kurosa-"

She froze as a familiar wave of sadness engulfed her once more.

Did it have to be so difficult to keep Kurosaki-kun off her mind?

Orihime had thought that cooking would at least help distract her from her thoughts, but she supposed she should have known better. When you loved a person as much as she did, it was impossible to not think about him. Even if it hurt when she did.

She didn't know why it pained her so much to think about him. Orihime knew he didn't hate her, after all, and he did talk to her this morning, but...

_He wasn't really talking to me. Kurosaki-kun was distracted,his mind was elsewhere. And he seemed uncomfortable, as if he didn't want to be there. And then there was last night, he looked uncomfortable then too. _

Orihime felt her eyes well up again, brimming with tears. She attempted to wipe them away with her forearm, but they continued to re-emerge, precariously close to falling.

_No, I can't cry now. I cried enough last night. I'm stronger than that. Besides, the food will get ruined. If I just focus on cooking, I'll stop being sad. _

Her trembling hands reached for her kitchen knife, and began to slowly slice an onion. Orihime absentmindedly wondered now if her tears were due to own sadness, or if they were due to the onion itself. No, that was a stupid question. She already knew the answer, considering all the self doubts which raced through her mind, as she chopped the onion into pieces.

CHOP.

_He never liked me._

CHOP.

_He was never going to like me._

CHOP.

_I always thought that he loved me, but now that I think about it. he has never looked at me once, like he looked at Kuchiki-san for all those years. _

Orihime knew it was unhealthy to be thinking this way, to assault herself like that. But she couldn't stop it once it had started. It was if she had broken a dam, and now all her hidden thoughts, which she had tried so hard to push in the back of her mind, were spewing forth. It was possible that she was just over exaggerating everything, but she had a feeling once those thoughts appeared in her mind that they were correct.

She had tried so hard, to create her own happily ever after with the guy of her dreams. But this was reality.

And down came the knife again, each cut releasing her darkest innermost thoughts.

CHOP.

_He is bored of me._

CHOP.

_He may have liked me at one point, but he's moved on. Why do I keep trying to fool myself?_

CHOP.

_He only pretends to love me out of pity. Why am I allowing both of us to get hurt this way? Why am I afraid to let him be happy? Why do I keep doing this to myself when I know that this can't last forever?_

The knife fell to the wooden cutting board with a clatter. Her eyes widened in shock. Was this a coincidence? An omen?

Orihime couldn't feel Kurosaki-kun anymore.

_Concentrate. He's probably still there. You just need to try harder._

Admittedly, Orihime's reiatsu sensing skills weren't the greatest, but there was one reiatsu that she would always be able to sense, whether it was sealed or not.

And now, she didn't even have that.

_Where are you....Kurosaki-kun?_

_

* * *

_

There was a clink as steel met steel, Rukia having raised Sode No Shirayuki for the umpteenth time to defend herself from Hichigo's onslaught of attacks. Her hair was matted, and her robes were tattered and flecked with dirt and blood. Rukia's knuckles whitened from the intensity of her grip, breaths short and ragged from exhaustion. The creature was like a machine, the way it could continue to attack her without tiring.

"What are you? Who are you? What do you want?" Rukia demanded her voice hoarse. The insides of her throat had seemed to have gained a sandpaper like quality, paining her each time she spoke.

Hichigo simply smirked in that jeering manner she had come to despise. "I've already told you. I just want to have some fun. It's been a while since I've seen a Shinigami, after all." He strode lazily towards her, twirling his zampakutou in circles by the ribbon affixed to the hilt. His golden irises glinted in the sunlight mischievously.

"Now, would you rather play, or would you prefer I just kill you now?"

Rukia took a step back, keeping Sode no Shirayuki pointed in his direction. "Stay back, creature. I do not wish to fight you if it isn't necessary. Now answer my question. What are you, and what do you want?"

Hichigo sighed in mock exasperation, scratching his silvery white hair nonchalantly. "So I'm going to take it as you'd rather die right now? What a shame."

She barely had time to react before he shunpoed towards her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her towards him. Her zanpakutō fell to the ground, while his zanpakutō hovered menacingly at her side, inches away from piercing her lungs. Rukia could feel her heart quicken in pace, a rapid uneven beat compared to the slow even one of the thing pressed against her. She slipped her arms close to her chest to create leverage, jutting out her elbows in an attempt to push him away.

He simply cackled snidely, pulling her closer. Despite the fact that her elbows were digging into him, it was Rukia who first felt the searing pain as her joints threatened to crack.

"What do you think you're doing, Shinigami? Have you changed your mind?" He inquired, nudging his blade closer towards her so that it grazed her sides. She cringed, despite her intent not to show any signs of weakness to the thing.

"I am not willing to die to something like you." Rukia spat bitterly, shooting him a glare.

Hichigo grinned. "Feisty, aren't you?" He remarked, dropping her with a thud on the dusty field. "Good. I want to enjoy this." He continued, picking up Sode no Shirayuki and extending it to her.

Rukia brushed the dust off of her hakama, eyeing her zanpakutō with unease. Who was this creature, who seemed to be so eager to fight with her? He had a chance to kill her, yet he did not do so. Her gaze slowly drifted up to Hichigo's face. Was this some sort of pride that he was exhibiting? Wanting to fight on fair terms?

Studying his features, she stretched out her hand to reclaim Sode no Shirayuki, all the while wondering if it was some form of a trap. Was this some sort of clever ploy that she had not spotted yet? And why....why did he have to resemble Ichigo?

Satisfied that she seemed to be able to fight, he began to attack her again without hesitation.

"You ask who I am," Hichigo began casually, as though he was simply conversing with an acquaintance rather than attempting to gouge a hole in the shinigami's stomach. "Yet you already know. If you know Ichigo, then you should know me. Don't try and make excuses. You already knew who I was, didn't you?"

"I don't understand." Rukia replied, as she parried the attack with Sode no Shirayuki and retaliated. "Tsugi no Mai, Tsuki Shiro!"

A circle of ice patches and frost appeared on the ground in front of her. Hichigo's eyes widened before he deftly sidestepped the attack. The ice pillar which arose a moment later quickly shattered into pieces without an opponent to attack, the shards twinkling as they fell.

Hichgo laughed. "Looks like you're getting more serious, Shinigami. That's good. After all, I wouldn't want to get bored, now would I?" He asked, making a sweeping motion with Zangetsu. "If you know Ichigo, you should know who I am. You should be answering me that question. How do you know the King?"

Rukia stabbed her zampakutou into the earth, revealing a shimmering ice ribbon which undulated in the air. Time seemingly froze as she repeated the procedure four more times, leaving her with four ribbons of ice. "Tsugi no Mai! Hakuren!" She cried, releasing a mighty stream of ice.

Hichigo leaped back, swinging the meat cleaver like sword in a semi circle motion as he yelled. "Getsuga Tenshou!" A black wave of reiatsu shot from it, shattering Rukia's attack and proceeding towards her.

If it had not been for the instinctual reflexes which she had managed to hone with her period of time in the Shinigami Academy and in the thirteenth division, Rukia probably wouldn't have been able to dodge the oncoming attack due to her shock.

"Getsuga Tenshou?" She murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper. "But that's-"

"The King's attack, I know. It's mine really, but I'll get to those details some other time. "Hichigo interjected, sighing as he charged towards her, zanpakutō raised. "You must be really unobservant, if you still can't figure out who I am. And here I was, silly little hollow, thinking that it was obvious." He commented, whipping the zanpakutō downwards in a slicing motion. "Well, I suppose that you are nowhere near as ignorant as the girl the King's currently fawning over, but still-"

Rukia had only chosen to pay attention to one word as she blocked his attack. It had taken her by surprise, considering how he lacked the trademark hole that Hollows generally bore. "Hollow? But that means you must be..."

Hichigo smirked, his thin lips curled into a vindictive smile. "Hichigo Shirosaki. Nice to meet you, Shinigami."

* * *

Ichigo's eyelids fluttered open with a groan. His head throbbed, and his muscles ached. Using one hand to shield his eyes from the harsh sunlight which pierced them, his other hand flew blindly to the nearest object to use as support. His legs shook unsteadily as he brought himself to his feet, weak and nauseated. Ichigo's pupils dilated as his surroundings began to come into focus.

Grey buildings of different sizes and shapes surrounded him, their former glory lost amid the piles of rubble which littered the ground. Shallow pools of murky water were scattered throughout the area, as if it had rained so much in the area that the water was no longer able to simply drain into the earth. Above, the sun shone brightly, illuminating the scene around him. A single yellow crack ran through the blue expanse that was the sky, glowing in an ominous black aura.

What had just happened? Where was he?

The familiar pang of nostalgia shot through him as his eyes landed upon a particular building which was intricately detailed with the scrapes of swords, and dented from copious amounts of reiatsu. The scene of him attempting to fight his jeering hollow for supremacy flashed though his mind as a ghostly reminder.

_Is this...my inner world?_

Ichigo took hesitant steps, finding himself to feel unusually weak as he explored the area. It seemed to look like his inner world, but there were a few things that appeared to be off. For instance, the yellow crack in the sky. Despite the fact that it had been years since he had been in his inner world, he couldn't recall ever seeing something like that in this place. And then there was that other thing.

_Shouldn't it be raining in here? _

As much as Ichigo hated to admit it, even though he may have attempted to run away from his emotions, his inner world would always reflect his true disposition. Sadness. He loathed the feeling, but he was still aware it existed, no matter how deep he may have attempted to conceal it. Yet there were no clouds in the sky, much less rain, in the inner world which he had stumbled upon now.

_What...just happened?_

The last thing he could recall was running. Yes, he was running towards something, and then he blacked out.

Now he was here...wherever this was. The place that was his inner world, yet wasn't.

"Is anyone here?" He called, cupping his hands to his mouth.

There was no reply.

Ichigo continued to explore the area, occasionally yelling again in search of other forms of life. If this really was his inner world, he would be able to find Zangetsu or even the infernal hollow around here somewhere.

He paused. It wasn't possible, was it?

_The hollow was bluffing when he said he could take over at any time. I know it._

But even as this thought arose to Ichigo's mind, he felt himself immediately doubting it.

_It's not possible...But how else can I explain this?_

No longer paying attention in the direction he was headed, Ichigo cursed quietly as he stubbed his toe into a slender wooden ladder which leaned on the side of a building. A simple white note was taped to it, reading:

_The best way to go is up._

Under normal circumstances, Ichigo probably wouldn't have felt so inclined to climb the mysterious ladder that could easily lead to his demise if he fell, but he needed a way out of the inner world he was currently within. Not only did he need to get back, in case his hollow had actually taken over, but there was a rather ominous feeling about the place. Ichigo preferred not to stick around and find out why.

His hands gripped the sides tightly as he slowly inched his way up the ladder, step by step. Despite its height, it did not take long before he reached the top, and finally came upon the rooftop of the building.

Ichigo looked up. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that the crack in the sky was hovering right above him.

But that was impossible. If there was a crack in the sky, then it would really be much higher.

_What am I thinking? How can the sky even have cracks in the first place? The sky doesn't have an end!_

But if this was his inner world, then it didn't have to make sense, he reminded himself, hesitantly stretching out his hand to touch the crack. The surface was rough and dry, a bit like compacted dirt. Small pieces fell away from it, revealing a murky portion of a moving image.

_Could this be a way out?_

He clawed at the crack furiously, in an attempt to increase the depth and somehow escape to freedom. As more of the crack was torn away, the image grew in size and sharpened in detail, providing him with a view of treetops and people sitting comfortably in cars. He could spot several familiar looking apartments off into the distance.

Suddenly, Ichigo's hand recoiled as the crack reformed, completely obscuring his view. He attempted to claw at the crack once more, but soon realized that each time he did so, it would repeatedly reform.

"Damn it!" He yelled in frustration, banging his fists against the crack. "I need to get out of here! What is going on?"

A cloud of thick grey smoke began to seep from the crack, filling his nose and ears. It entered his mouth, causing him to choke on the bitter taste, and leached under his closed eyelids, causing his eyes to sting and redden. He struggled to breathe, as the gas entered his lungs, forcing out any oxygen.

Everything went black.

* * *

**A/N: Have any thoughts about this latest chapter? Critique, Predictions, Questions, Things you liked/didn't like, even a simple "it's good"? **

**Do me a favor and post them, so I won't be blindly guessing what my readers may think. **

***Yes, that includes you too, you darn lurkers***


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N: A thank you to rukia-neesan, Arikitten, realityfling18, JadeRent, wickedsistah1024, Kurosaki1332, None, fellow canadian, Mappadouji, Yong Yuan, Shortchannel4, Angel, SweetestChick, Le Rukia, Fathom-x, and AvaLuna for reviewing._**

**_And of course, another big thanks to Fathom-x for taking the time to beta this :)_**

**_Chapter 8_**

* * *

Rukia's eyes widened slowly as the man chuckled. There was a knowing smirk upon his face, and his dishevled appearance seemed to exude confidence. The way he managed to tell her, without even the slightest pause or moment of unease...

_This man...really is Ichigo's hollow._

She barely had time to digest this information before she felt his zanpakutō ram hard against hers with an incredible force. Her feet dug into the ground as Zangetsu battered against Sode No Shirayuki, the clink of metal against metal echoing throughout the empty baseball field.

"What's wrong, Shinigami? Surprised?" Hichigo jeered, swinging his zanpakutō towards her shoulder. "Are you still unable to admit who I am? Even when I'm right in front of you, holding the king's sword? What more do you need, a song and dance?"

Rukia parried the attack with the flat end of her sword. The attack was a bit stronger than she had expected, but it wasn't something that she couldn't overcome. Even if this was Ichigo's hollow that she was dealing with, he was still just that; a hollow. Surely, she could defeat him, couldn't she?

"You still haven't even bothered to attack me at your full power yet, shinigami. What's holding you back?" Hichigo remarked, applying more pressure to his attack. Rukia in return gripped her sword tightly, lowering her stance as she felt him begin to knock her off balance. "Are you simply weaker than I expected?"

He wrapped the ribbon of Zangetsu's hilt around his fingers, lifting the blade to lazily twirl it in circles. Hichigo suddenly let go of the ribbon, causing the blade to fly towards her chest. Rukia dodged, gasping as it just flew past her. "...Or is it fear?"

"Why would I be afraid of you, hollow?" She retorted with a glare before retaliating. "Tsugi no Mai! Hakur-"

Her words were cut off as Hichigo sent Zangetsu flying towards her once more, leaving her with no other option but to dodge.

"Are you sure about that, Shinigami? You sure that your power isn't being crippled by your fear that I'll simply take over the king's body?"

Rukia's hesitation only lasted for a fraction of a second, but Hichigo latched onto it like a blood deprived leech to a body, with a wicked smile engraved upon his face.

"That's it, isn't it?" He crowed delightedly, a laugh beginning to bubble in the depths of his throat, working its way up and out his mouth. "Does the big bad hollow scare you? Don't worry, I don't bite...much. No wonder this fight hasn't been as fun as I would have liked. How could it possibly be so, when you're not even giving it your all?"

His eyes narrowed, his expression growing grim. "What's the point of fighting someone who can't even fight me properly due to fear? Convince me, Shinigami. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you right now."

"Tsugi no Mai! Tsuki Shi-"

There was a flash as he shunpoed directly in front of her, clamping his hand over her mouth. "Shinigami like you look a lot better when they aren't talking, you know that? Saves them from potential embarrassment.' He commented breezily. "Besides, that wasn't a very good reason. I'll do you a favor and make this kill as painless as possible for you. What do you think? Should I start with the midsection? Or go for the throat...?"

Hichigo's voice died off as he suddenly turned to look up, his long blue tongue flicking slightly as a breeze passed by. He sighed. "Looks like it's your lucky day, Shinigami." He remarked with a sneer.

It took a few moments before Rukia was able to register two strong reiatsus coming towards her at a rapid rate. Renji and Nii-sama.

"Until we meet again, Shinigami. As for now..." Hichigo gave her a mock salute before shunpoing off.

* * *

The sound of their hushed whispers filled his ears in a steady buzz. Speaking in quick, anxious tones, the mangled array of syllables and inflections collided with one another, melding to form a wavering stream of noise.

If Ichigo concentrated hard enough, he found himself able to separate the voices. And if he chose to concentrate a little harder, he could make out snippets of their swift and curious banter.

"…lying there...."

"…poke with a stick...."

"…like a drug dealer to me, you can't trust orange hair...."

"…dressed too nice for that, we're standing too close...."

"…let's poke him with a sti...."

"…shut up, he'll be angry if we wake him...."

"…whatever, I'm going for it...."

Suddenly, Ichigo felt a blunt object insistently prod him in the shoulder.

"…not moving, maybe he's...."

" …dead body, don't touch it...."

"…gross, don't get near it...."

He felt the same blunt object proceed to prod him again, with a little more force. Ichigo lifted his arm, rubbing his weary eyes.

"Ghnnah..." he mumbled incoherently, as he stretched from his position on the ground.

"Ahh! It's alive!" A voice exclaimed. This was then followed by a number of other similar shrill screams, and the sound of sneakers scraping against pavement.

Ichigo opened his eyes.

"The hell?" He muttered, taking in the image of several children clad in elementary school uniforms. Their naive, youthful eyes registered a look of shock, while their cherubic lips were still stuck in the process of forming an "O". With a hint of distain, he also noticed the long wooden branch brandished in one child's arm. His eye twitched slightly.

The children edged back nervously, looks of fright etched upon their faces. "We're not afraid to use this!" Stammered the branch bearing child, waving the stick in an attempt to create distance between the two.

Ichigo sighed. "Look, I'm not going to hurt you." He said, turning his palms so that they faced the kids. "I'm not a drug dealer, I'm not a maniac, and I would appreciate it if you didn't try to poke me with a branch."

"If you're not a drug dealer, or a maniac, then why were you sleeping on the sidewalk?" The child replied with an accusatory tone. His eyes narrowed into slits. "You're not homeless, are you? My mom told me I shouldn't talk to homeless people when she isn't around."

"Sidewalk? What are you talk-"

It was then that it finally hit him that he had been sleeping on the sidewalk. But it was not so much as this fact that put him to unease, but the fact that he had no conscious memory of ever doing so.

Which meant....

It really did happen.

The hollow...hadn't been bluffing.

There were no other options left for him now. No other excuses. No other explanations. His hollow...really was taking over. And he had just been denied the luxury of being able to trust his own body. Ichigo's thoughts raced wildly as the truth began to sink in.

_The hollow now has control of Zangetsu as well, which means he has access to my powers._

_If he has access to my powers, and the capability to take over my body, that means he could leave my body at any time he wants. _

_With the power to take control of my body at any period of time, he would probably take over at night, when I'm the least aware..._

_...And since I couldn't tell what my hollow was doing when he took over my body just now, there's no guarantee that I'd wake up and stop him..._

His eyes widened as he scrambled to his feet.

"Look, I told you he's a drug dealer or something." The child muttered with a shake of his cropped brown bangs. "His pupils are all huge and everything."

Ichigo chose to ignore this statement. "What street is this?" He demanded.

"What? I don't talk to homeless people, remember?" The child responded with a hint of arrogance.

Ichigo groaned. "Look, you're talking to me right now. And didn't you just say I was a drug dealer, not a homeless person? Just tell me what street we're on."

_How long has this been happening? Did it start that day at Ishida's? Or has it been going on before that? How long have I allowed him to roam free? _

The child tapped his chin in an attempt at a pensive manner. "You have a point, orange haired drug dealing man. We're on Kings Avenue right no-"

Ichigo took off before the boy had a chance to finish his sentence. If he was on Kings Avenue right now, that put him about two kilometres away from the school, and another kilometre away from the apartment. If he ran, he would be able to make it to both of those places before nightfall, hopefully. Ichigo quickened his pace, ignoring the fact that his outfit was pretty much ruined by now, or the fact that the soles of his heels would deteriorate if he continued to abuse them like he was now. He needed to figure out what happened to the transfer student after he blacked out, as well as warn the others. However, only two thoughts entered his mind.

_What has he done?_

_What... have I done?_

* * *

Courtesy once again of Byakuya's wallet, the trio was able to acquire a modestly sized hotel room for them to spend the night. Modest, of course, being in Byakuya's terms. To be frank, the room was really anything but modest. A large three room suite about the size of a person's apartment, the entire area was swathed in the rich tones of gold and chocolate brown. From the luxurious curtains which were tied back to reveal a breathtaking sunset, to the two four poster beds surrounded by multiple sheer veils of fabric, calling the room modest was surely an understatement.

Perched on the bed opposite to the one that Byakuya and Renji were currently laying their clothes out on, Rukia leaned forward as if to pretend she was immersed in their conversation, when in reality her thoughts were still focused on what had occurred mere hours before.

If it hadn't been for Renji and Byakuya, Rukia would have been dead at this exact moment. Although yes, she was already technically dead, if the hollow had really gotten a chance to kill her that time, she wouldn't have been anything more than spirit particles at this exact moment.

No, she corrected herself. Ichigo's hollow. If it hadn't been for Byakuya and Renji, Ichigo's hollow would have turned her into spirit particles at this exact moment.

Mere words could not describe just how...ashamed she felt. There was only one other time which she had ever felt so cowardly, so weak. And the same incident that she was trying to prevent from re-occurring was the same one that seemed to be repeating itself right before her eyes.

She was a coward then as well, not wanting to admit that there was something wrong with him when it was clear that the hollow had completely taken over his body. Wanting to hold on to those last strings of hope, she ran back to him, back like the disgusting disgrace of a shinigami she was. And then....

_Kaien died, due to my stupidity, due to my fear. _

She had vowed never to do something of that sort again. She wouldn't allow herself to be a hindrance and allow someone she loved to be killed before her eyes. Yet it seemed to be happening again, the one thing that she wanted to prevent. Rukia had deluded herself into thinking that Hichigo wasn't who she suspected he was. Then when she could no longer deny it, she couldn't even fight him properly—due to her fear.

Hichigo would consume Ichigo's humanity the same way Metastacia had consumed Kaien. And she had done absolutely nothing to stop him.

_I...really am a disgrace._ _I was no hero when Kaien died, and I certainly didn't act like one now_…

A voice interrupted her thoughts. Rukia lifted her gaze to see Renji hovering above her, his lips moving in rapid conversation.

Right. They were still discussing the day's events.

"…It's not your fault it got away, Rukia. The hollow was strong. It's not your fault it escaped. We still have plenty of opportunities to catch it, don't worry. Right now though, we should just stay focused on trying to figure out where the reiatsu of our mission target is."

Rukia felt Renji's hand pat her twice on the back, his eyes filled with sympathetic concern. Rukia supposed that he must have noticed her turmoil. However, he didn't understand.

She didn't have much of a choice when it came down to explaining what happened on the field. Although they knew that she had been dealing with some form of powerful reiatsu, due to the reports given on their spirit phones, she didn't inform them about Hichigo. It was more like a gut feeling than anything else, but Rukia knew that she still couldn't tell them about it, in case the information was relayed back to Soul Society. Considering how they acted when it came to Ichigo's powers, Rukia was aware they would not take it lightly if they found out that his hollow still had powers. Rukia realized that she wouldn't be able to hide something like this from Soul Society forever, but at this moment, she preferred not to let them know.

They would attempt to destroy it. By any means necessary.

_Even if it meant killing Ichigo._

No, it just wasn't an option at this moment. Like Renji had said, her main focus ought to be the mission target. The reiatsu of the thing they came for in the first place. Soul Society already had enough troubles right now, attempting to figure out why there was such a strong reiatsu influence in the area. Bringing news that there was another hollow for them to deal with that had powers on par, if not greater than Ichigo's, would only lead them to make rash decisions.

If there was to be anything done about Hichigo, she would have to do it on her own.

"Speaking on the topic of the mysterious reiatsu, have either of you managed to acquire any useful information?"

Rukia felt Byakuya's gaze land upon her as he asked this particular question. It was almost as if he knew, or at least had an idea that she had not told everything.

"No, Nii-sama." She replied, using as cool a tone as she could muster. "Other than the strong hollow I had to deal with earlier today, I had nothing else to report."

He simply nodded in response, not indicating whether he was suspicious in any form about her answer. However, she could feel his emotionless gray eyes pierce her own, as if to tell a different story. She averted her gaze, pretending to be engrossed with the patterns on the bedspread. After a few moments, Byakuya looked away, rounding towards Renji.

"Anything you'd care to report, Abarai?"

"There was some suspicious activity that I suspect may have been related to the reiatsu from this morning . There was an unusual number of Menos Grande by the harbor front. But I couldn't really interrogate them about it, so I killed them, Taicho." Renji replied swiftly.

"I see." Byakuya answered contemplatively. "I shall take care to further investigate that matter then. As for you, Rukia..."

Rukia found herself eye to eye with Byakuya once more.

"I trust you to take care of the hollow you encountered earlier. Do not disappoint me. I have faith in your abilities. However, I still expect you keep the mission as your main priority, which means continuous surveillance on Kurosaki Ichigo."

All Rukia could manage was a stiff nod in reply, as the image of Hichigo cackling popped up in her mind.

She knew she had to beat him, but how was she supposed to do it when he had almost turned her into spirit particles on their last encounter?

"Rukia."

She looked up.

"Mistakes are nothing more than accidents. They can be prevented. If there was a reason that you could not fight him before, do not dwell on it. Learn from your errors and improve. Improve and win." Byakuya stated simply.

Rukia fought the urge to frown. She was really that easy to read, wasn't she?

But he was still right.

Even if she had acted like a coward before, she wouldn't allow herself to brood in her despair, in her self-hate. That would mean that she had given up.

She wouldn't allow herself to lose to him again. She wouldn't allow her fear to stand in her way.

If she really resented her fear, she would crush it.

If she really was afraid he would be consumed, she would simply prevent it from happening.

If she wanted to become something more than a pawn and take control, she would do it herself.

She would overcome her weakness, so that the next time they met, she would be the one to defeat him.

"Yes, Nii-sama."

* * *

**_A/N: Do I really need to say this? Review and tell me what you think so my mind won't start making random nonsensical speculations. That includes you, you lurkers. Don't make me threaten you with sugar free cookies *laughs maniacally*_**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Get with the program, people. **_

_**A/N:** It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry for not updating sooner, but I decided to slack off during Christmas Break, and between then and exam season, I got a little lazy... *sweatdrops* _

_At any rate, thanks to Hekka, Rei-06, gadzooks97, cam169, newgirlhikari, Buni-San, wickedsistah1024, pricalthum, Jenn, , Akum, JadeRent, None93, Star Garden, rukia-neesan, CharmedNightSkye, OBSERVER01, AvaLuna, Mappadouji, and AriKitten for reviewing. _

_And a thank you as always to Fathom-x for Beta'ing_**.**

_**Chapter 10**_

* * *

It would start as a mere bead of water, hanging to the tip of a faucet head. Slowly, it'd grow, increasing in size until it was a plump droplet, precariously clinging to the metal fixture. And then, it would drop, colliding with the steel surface of the sink below.

The cycle would start again as another droplet formed anew in its place.

_Plunk...Plunk...Plunk..._

Orihime averted her gaze from the dripping tap in the kitchen, her fingers rapidly strumming against a plush olive armrest. She wondered briefly just how many times she had heard the faucet drip. Was it mere minutes? A mere hour? Multiple hours?

It was a foolish idea really, to not have clocks in the living room. Or at any rate, it felt like it now as she sat waiting, butt wedged between pillows.

When was Kurosaki-kun coming home again?

She sighed, running a hand through her locks of auburn hair. It really shouldn't have mattered this much, the fact that he was late.

Yet it did.

Every minute—No, second, that seemed to pass, felt like another moment between them wasted. Every moment of his absence meant another wasted chance to drink in his presence; to hear his mesmerizing voice, to drown in the depths of his entrancing caramel irises.

After all, today would be the day she finally broke up with him. Was it really too much to ask, to enjoy it while it lasted?

It wasn't an easy decision. Not like something like this could ever be an easy decision. She knew that they both deserved better, had realized that there was no point in living a fabricated lie.

But...she still longed to feel his hand graze tenderly against her flushed cheeks. She wanted to get a chance to kiss him, and be able to know that he was kissing her just as passionately and forcefully in return. To have him stare at her with a longing so strong that it consumed every portion of his sanity.

Yes, there were a lot of things that she wanted...but Kurosaki-kun was not the guy who could do those things for her.

As much as she wanted him to be that guy, it didn't seem like it was meant to be.

_Plunk...Plunk...Plunk..._

Orihime shifted in her seat, her glance flickering once more to the mahogany door at the entrance-way. The fact that it was still closed teased her, taunted her. Her heart would thrum wildly every time she laid her eyes upon it, as if it believed that if she stared hard enough, it would open this time.

On one hand, she wanted him to come home as soon as possible, just so she could get it over with. She could have her last few moments with him before she was out of his life, and be satisfied. That was good enough.

However, there was still that little part of her that wondered if it was possible for Ichigo to grow to love her. _What if..._

Orihime shook her head, repulsed that such thoughts could enter her mind at a time like this.

That side of her needed to stay quiet. It was wrong.

_Plunk...Plunk...Plunk..._

In some ways, Orihime assumed she was very much so like the beads of water upon the dripping faucet. Even when the reasons built up against her, like the growing droplet of water, she'd continue to cling to familiarity. But even if she held on with all her might, there would be a point where she'd have to let go.

As much as she desired to keep things the way they were, there would come a time when she'd have to let go, for the better of things. And if this was that time, for her to let go and achieve greater things, she'd do it. She'd break up with Ichigo...for herself.

_I...can...do this. I...can do this. I can do this. _

At any rate, if she said it often enough, she could begin to believe her own words.

"I," She cried, thrusting a clenched fist in the air, "Orihime Inoue, can do th-"

The door swung open.

Orihime's eyes widened as she clambered out of her chair frantically. "K-Kurosaki-kun!" She stammered, telltale patches of red upon her cheeks.

There was a pregnant pause as he stumbled inside, panting slightly. His slender face was slick with sweat, and his vivid mass of hair was clumped into sticky bunches. Slipping off his tattered blazer, Ichigo looked up and effectively broke the silence.

"Hey Inoue. How was your day?"

The question was curious enough, coming so casually from a man in a dishevelled state such as his. But it was his eyes, which smouldered with vehemence, which truly managed to unnerve her. Orihime felt a frown begin to tug at her face. Was he angry at her? Did she do something wrong? Was he aware that she was going to break up with him?

"I'm fine, Kurosaki-kun. How about you?" She responded, berating herself for being too weak to discuss the topic on her mind.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good." He replied, walking over to the kitchen counter and pulling a piece of scrap paper from the inside of his shirt.

"Oh really?" She inquired, growing anxious as silence recommenced, thickening the atmosphere between them. "...That's good then."

Ichigo gave a non-committal grunt.

"So..." _I can do this. I can do this. _"Kurosaki-kun...I think I need to talk to you about something. W-well, it's not really something, it's about us actually, and I-"

Orihime's voice died off as she realized the man's attention was elsewhere, hastily scribbling upon a piece of paper. Curiously enough, his eyes looked not at the paper, but to the other side of the room. Not that she noticed by any means.

"Inoue, I think you should see this. You may find it interesting."

His voice cut through the silence like a knife through butter as he turned to face her. His expression was deadpan when he thrust the paper into her hands.

"You should read it. "

Reluctantly, she accepted the paper, eyes posing an unspoken question to the man in front of her. After slowly and deliberately unfolding it, she peered at the untidy scrawl, attempting to make out the words.

_Inoue. Try not to make a reaction when you read this. Just nod and say you agree, and I'll know you understand what I mean. My hollow is taking over my body. I do not want him to know what I am doing for as long as I possibly can. I am going to leave tonight, to see if I can find a way to fix this issue. Tell the others if you are able to. I'm sorry if I troubled you recently. _

She looked up, feeling an unpleasant chill sweep over her body as she gazed into his eyes.

Was he afraid, like she was right now? Did he feel that same dread devouring his insides, threatening to turn his body into a hollow shell?

Didn't he...hadn't he, controlled his hollow? Wasn't that why he wore a mask?

She could remember that mask clearly, from her first encounter with it in Hueco Mundo. It was so ominous...and scary. Kurosaki-kun's warm brown eyes were hidden when he wore that mask, and replaced with two...evil yellow pools of death, for lack a better word. His kindly face was obscured by a awful bone structure with crimson stripes and a set of jaws that looked like they were made to kill. When Kurosaki-kun put on the mask, he became one of them. A hollow.

So if his mask contained his hollow powers, it would be the mask that would take over his body...

A set of chills ran through her body as she processed this information. No wonder he had treated her the way that he did for the past few days. It would have been easy to adopt a cold manner with something like that on his mind.

_Maybe.... Maybe he still...._

"Do you agree?"

His voice jolted her from her reverie, causing her neck to snap up.

"Do you agree, Inoue?"

Orihime found herself looking once again into the warm brown eyes which had fuelled her desire.

_He's just as afraid as I am...the only reason he treated me the way he did was because he was afraid. Why didn't I realize this earlier? He...still loves me. He just has a lot on his mind. But he still loves me. And once he manages to overcome his hollow, we can put this all behind us. _

"I agree."

* * *

Bulky grey clouds hung over the phantom silhouette of the city while the moon peeked through, bathing it with a subtle white glow. The bus shook as it traveled along the road, jostling Ichigo and the other lone passenger aboard the vehicle. The driver, a portly man, sombrely hummed 'Ave Maria' under his breath as the bus once again jolted to a stop, allowing two passengers to board. Ichigo glanced at the map above him as he waited, tapping his feet in time to the song emitted from his headphones.

_It's the next stop after this._

If all went well, he could manage to subdue his hollow again. It was a long shot, but if there was still a chance that the Vizards were in the area, he could turn to them for assistance. However, he had no idea whether they had accepted the offer of amnesty that Soul Society had provided for the group, along with his father and Urahara. Although they had previously resided in Soul Society, Ichigo was well aware of the deep rooted grudge towards the Shinigami that the Vizards still bore. His chances would be low, of course. But it'd still be worth a try, considering the amount of experience they had.

With that thought in mind, Ichigo clambered off the vehicle as it halted at an intersection, and began to walk. The road was winding, an asphalt maze which seemed to stretch out beyond the horizon. An avenue of street lights stood on either side of him, their slender grey forms standing out against the inky blue sky. The worn ends of his jacket fluttered as he strode, damp from the fog lingering in the air.

All the while, his heart thumped erratically. It was hard not to be aware that at any given moment, his hollow probably would realize what he was up to.

_And that would mean..._

Ichigo paused, realizing that he was now facing a large derelict warehouse which cast a looming shadow upon the pavement. Despite its size, the building was not something one would refer to as 'impressive'. The concrete plaster was detailed with chips and scratches, a web of cracks stretching across the imposing structure. Copper coloured rust adorned the entrance door, clashing ever so brilliantly with the faded olive hue of the metal surface.

The Vizard hideout.

It had been years since he had last laid his eyes upon the building—years to cloud his memory, and to alter his observations. However, Ichigo doubted he could blame his unreliable memory for the surprisingly derelict appearance of the warehouse. To him, it seemed more like it had been abandoned.

At any rate, he dared not to mull over the possibility for too long. Instead, he ventured inside, prying open the sectional steel door, and fumbling for the light switch as he'd done all those times before.

However, this time there were no faces to greet him as the fluorescent lights slowly illuminated the area with a flickering blue-white glow.

There were no people awaiting him as he scaled down the room's trapdoor and into the training grounds, where the earth was parched with dust– neither were there possessions or food. Not even a stray wrapper strewn absently on the floor. Hell, not even one of Lisa's explicit porno rags that she kept lying about the place.

Just space. Barren, empty, useless...space.

_Perfect._

_-_

After what felt like hours of searching, Ichigo sighed, and began to make his way out of the room. With any luck, he could still manage to trace them by some means, even though he was only limited to knowing their names.

It was around then that he heard him, his voice snide and laced with sarcasm.

"Did you have a good time King?"

There was always something unsettling about hearing a voice inside his head that wasn't his. Normally, this alone would have caused Ichigo's stomach to unwillingly twist into knots, as it did on every other occasion. However, this time, it was the fact that he got caught that caused his face to blanch to a shade of chalk. There was no denying that he had been expecting this, known that it was coming. But there was only so much that he could brace himself for, it seemed.

Ichigo opened his mouth, and promptly closed it, realizing there was no use to offer an explanation to his white haired counterpart. Instead, he opted to mount the ladder leading out of the grounds and gritted his teeth.

_There's no point in answering him...that's what he wants. _

A few moments passed by before his voice rang once more, a little dourer, and less playful.

"Too high and mighty to answer me then, King?"

Ichigo could visualize Shirosaki perfectly at this point, his lidded eyes narrowed, mouth curled into a half amused, and half scornful sneer. He'd be leaning haughtily against an object, feigning indifference while his mind quietly assessed the situation.

Shirosaki was not the type who liked unpredictability if it wasn't created by him.

"You were looking for your friends, right? Too bad they aren't here then, eh King?"

He had switched to a new angle of attack. Not so amused now as it was taunting, egging Ichigo for a response. But as tempting as it was take the hollow's bait, there was a grim satisfaction in him knowing that he had finally managed to get a rise out of his hollow, something he'd once thought to be unimaginable..

"You fucking little shit. Reply to me already. Do you think you can just fucking ignore me because you're the king of this fucking place? Do you?"

Shirosaki's words tumbled out in a steady spiteful hiss, spiked with profanities. The amused tone was gone now, replaced by that Ichigo still hadn't bothered to reply, even though the positions were reversed, and it was he who truly wielded the power. He was supposed to have the upper hand, which meant that Ichigo ought to have been compliant, and treaded carefully. Not act the same way he had before the whole situation had even occurred, like he was merely an existence that could be ignored if you concentrated hard enough.

"I'm not in charge of anything, hollow. Get over yourself."

Funnily enough, it was Ichigo's voice which managed to hold that last fragment of composure. Composure which he shouldn't have even been able to hold, seeing the position he was currently in.

Shirosaki also happened to take note of his fact, as he immediately lowered his voice so that it was hardly more than a whisper.

"That's it." He growled bitingly, "I'm taking over your body, King. And there is nothing you can do about it."

And for the second time that day, everything went black.

* * *

Shirosaki opened his eyes, observing the scenery around him slowly sharpen and become more detailed. Brown blobs turning into magnificent rugged crags of rock beneath him. Grey smears separating and melding together until they formed the ladder that he was currently upon.

It was all rather exciting of course.

His hands were still holding the ladder, somehow managing to retain its grip even after he had taken control. Normally, he wouldn't have risked it, knowing that there was that possibility he could fall. But there was something inside of him that had snapped when the king treated him indifferently. Just because he was a hollow didn't mean he could be ignored. Even though he lacked a physical body to call his own, he was not of a lesser importance. He was strong, stronger than the king. He was smarter than the king as well. If there was anyone who deserved to be treated as a lesser being, it should have been the king.

Unfortunately, the real world was never as fair.

Shirosaki reached once more for the cool metal bars of the ladder, ascending towards the narrow shaft of light at the peak. The ropy veins along his arms rose and fell with each step, protruding due to fatigue. Before long, he felt the familiar feeling of loose dusty earth under his nail, and was back upon the main level of the hideout once more.

He diligently brushed off the specks of dirt upon his clothes. It was still early in the night, so he had no reason to rush. Since he had taken possession before expected, he could manage to purify more than a couple of hollows...

Shirosaki's train of thought stopped as the fragrance of cinnamon wafted past his nose. And sure enough, as he turned, it appeared that he was not alone.

"You."

The fool had been waiting for him, it seemed. Her zanpakutō was unsheathed and pointed it towards him in determination. Her robes, like silken twilight, clung loosely to her body. She glared at him through her vivid indigo irises, mouth set into an unwavering thin line.

Shirosaki noted her lack of response and allowed his expression to settle into the scowl primarily adopted by the king. "Giving me the silent treatment as well?" He commented bitterly, eyeing the woman with chagrin. "Sadly enough, I'm not in the mood to play. So you might as well go home."

The Shinigami didn't move, not like he had honestly expected her to.

"I am going to defeat you, Shirosaki Hichigo."

Shirosaki laughed. "You should be glad that I don't feel like attacking you, Shinigami. Now go home before I change my mind and kill you."

"I won't let you do this to Ichigo." She spat, glowering. "I can't just stand by and let him suffer becau—"

"Is it really worth it, Shinigami?" Shirosaki interjected, dropping the amused demeanour. "To die for him just because I seek to have freedom? Is he really of that much importance to you?"

"He's...my friend. He saved my life. I owe him, at least, this much. " The Shinigami responded, eyes briefly flickering downwards as if in shame before they returned to face him.

Shirosaki cocked an eyebrow and sneered. "Tell me your name, Shinigami. Tell me, so I can tell him all about the foolish Shinigami who choose to die at my hands. "

She looked at him and paused, evidently unsure of whether or not she ought to reply.

"Kuchiki Rukia. "

Shirosaki felt his mouth stretch into an ear to ear grin. "Really?" He replied, unsheathing his zanpakutō.

Inspiration had struck.

* * *

A small grey pebble dug into the meat of his thigh as Ichigo woke, nauseated, and sprawled awkwardly on the surface of a rooftop. It was not necessary to open his eyes to realize his location this time around; he could already tell from the charged, giddy feeling that seemed to run through the air.

"Damn it..." He groaned groggily, almost feeling the miniature sparks of electricity dance on the surface of his skin, creating goose bumps. "Back in this place already..."

"Awake, King?"

Ichigo resisted the urge to respond as Shirosaki's voice came into earshot.

_He's only looking for a reaction. Keep quiet and figure out a way to get the hell out of here. _

His eyes quickly scanned his surroundings for a means to escape. A ladder, resting haphazardly against the side of the building; a tightrope running from the edge of the roof before it stopped abruptly on the side of another building; a crack overhead, spewing puffs of black smoke. If the ladder was anything like the one he had come across previously, it would lead to the ground, and he would have to venture about from there. Not easy, but possible. The tightrope was a dead end. But the crack...?

"I see you're still ignoring me then, aren't you? Fine, let's see just how long you can keep that up for, King..."

_It showed moving images of the outside world. And last time I did manage to remove a bit of it before it resealed. It's possible that if I work faster, I could manage to escape before it reseals itself. _

"...Aren't you curious about what I'm doing right now in your body? Don't you want to know?"

_But my attempts haven't worked before. So they might not work now. I can't afford to waste any more time than I already am. The longer the hollow manages to control my body, the more likely that someone will get hurt. I can't just let that happen._

"I'm talking to a very nice girl right now you see. She's a little hot-tempered like you are as well, a nice fiery little number. She says that she's going to fight me, you know. Personally, between you and me, I think she's going to lose. But let's keep that our little secret, shall we?"

_Damn it, it's better than doing nothing. I've got to get out of here befor-_

"And you know, King, she's a bit of a joker too. She's telling me her name's Kuchiki Rukia. Now would you believe that?"

* * *

He would forever relish those few seconds afterwards, when Ichigo finally managed to make sense of what he just said, and replied in the most wounded, apprehensive tone Shirosaki ever had the privilege to hear.

"...What did you just say?"

In all honesty, he found it rather becoming of him.

"You know, I suppose it's a lucky thing that you say her name so often huh? Otherwise I probably wouldn't have recognized her, considering how I've never seen her face. You must really care for her a lot though, huh. To go through all that trouble to rescue he—"

Shirosaki was interrupted as an alabaster blade flew towards his neck, nicking his collarbone as he dodged.

"You really have no patience, don't you?" He commented, looking up to glance at the woman in question. Rukia regarded him with lustreless eyes, rivulets of blood running down her skin and clothes; a labyrinth of crimson upon her body. She breathed erratically, her breaths raspy and hoarse. She made no reply as she shifted her stance, attacking him again with a barrage of swings and thrusts.

In the back of his mind, Shirosaki heard the pained cry that had escaped the king's lips, and savoured it greedily as he blocked her blows.

_Do you have any idea what it's like to truly live on the inside, King? To feel so weak, so useless, so unnecessary when you have to just watch it unfold in front of you? To have to live in a place where it rains so often that the weight of the sorrow around you is almost tangible upon your shoulders?_

He retaliated, and the King's cry turned into a moan of despair as she stumbled back with a newly formed gash just above her ribcage, bleeding profusely.

_Do you have any idea what it's like to feel so insignificant, as if your thoughts don't even matter? To be a lesser being deemed worthy to only observe? To be told you are not even deserving of your own body?_

Rukia was tougher than he originally expected. Her eyes may have been dull and glazed, but her will was sharp. With a wiry tenacity, she continued to fight, biting back gasps as new cuts and wounds detailed her skin.

"Sode no Mai! Hakuren!"

It seemed he had stalled for a second too long as a jet of ice erupted from the tip of her sword.

"Shit." He muttered, fixing his gaze upon the free hand that was now engulfed within a solid block of ice.

And in the fraction of a second that passed, she was there at his side, the flat of her blade against the base of his throat.

"I don't want to have to kill this body. But I'll do it if you don't give him control." She demanded, pressing his blade closer so that he could feel the blood tainted metal against his skin.

He dropped his sword and gripped her arm suddenly, delighting in the exclamation of protests that emerged as their skin came into contact.

"_Let go of her! Let go of her right now! Don't you dare fucking touch her!"_

"I think I'd rather die before I let that happen, Kuchiki." Shirosaki replied, successfully ignoring his counterpart. "But are you willing to kill me?"

The blade pressed even harder. But it did not hide the slight tremor in her grip.

"You care too much for his wellbeing." He replied, wheeling around to elbow her hard in the gut.

Rukia fell to the ground, panting. "You." She snarled venomously, rising to her feet. "Like I'd let you live.

She swung Shirayuki wildly, no longer caring about technique or precision, overcome by a sudden lust to maim as much of the hollow as she could. But Shirosaki held no mercy as he elbowed her again, causing her to collapse.

This time, she did not get up as he ground his heel upon her fingers.

_How does it feel, king? How does it feel to watch, and know that there is nothing you can do? To scream, and know that not a single soul is listening? _

Shirosaki tugged on Rukia's arm, her weakened body falling upon his. With a lecherous smirk, he slid his hand up her shoulders and neck, so that his bloodied fingers cupped her fair cheek.

_Nobody will hear you when I do exactly what you have longed for so long, King._

Drawing closer, he pressed his lips against hers with force, using his tongue to forcefully pry hers apart and probe inside. She tasted of cinnamon, of spice and warmth. Hungrily, he devoured her taste, sucking until every last breath was stolen. He had forgotten just how _delicious_ a shinigami could be.

And as Ichigo's cries began to swell to an agonized yell, Hichigo stifled a snicker.

Revenge was sweet.

* * *

**A/N: **_Like it? Don't like it? Think I should find a new substance to threaten lurkers with besides sugar free cookies? Compliments and Crit are both openly welcomed, as well as whatever nonsense that you have to share. And remember kids, if you're going to insult someone, at least make it constructive. _


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